IIIIIIHHIMIMIItlllllllMlllllUIIIIIIIIIIMIi 


CRAWFORD 


UNIVERSITY  OP 
CALIFORNIA 
SAN  DIEGO 


UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 
Donated  in  memory  of 

John  W.    Snvder 

by 

His  Son  and  Daughter 


F 
686 


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KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


KANSAS  IN  THE 
SIXTIES 


BY 

SAMUEL  J.  CRAWFORD 

WAR   GOVERNOR    OF   KANSAS 


WITH  PORTRAITS 


CHICAGO 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  CO. 

1911 


Copyright 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  CO. 
1911 

Published,  August,  1911 


IB.  Jf.  ijjjjl  f  rtutti 


Ufa  fig  dfjittett 

FLORENCE  CRAWFORD  CAPPER 

AND 
GEORGE  MARSHALL  CRAWFORD 

THIS  VOLUME  IS 
REGARDFULLY  INSCRIBED 


PREFACE 


THE  author  of  these  memoirs  was  born  in  Lawrence 
County,  Indiana,  April  10,  1835 ;  was  reared  on  a 
farm,  and  educated  in  the  public  schools,  the  Bedford 
graded  school,  and  the  Law  School  of  the  Cincinnati 
College. 

His  parents,  William  and  Jane  Morrow  Crawford, 
were  born  in  Orange  County,  North  Carolina,  in  1788 
and  1792,  respectively;  were  reared  on  plantations, 
educated  in  private  schools,  married  in  1810,  and 
emigrated  to  the  Territory  of  Indiana  in  1815.  His 
grandfather,  James  Crawford,  was  born  in  Virginia, 
emigrated  to  North  Carolina,  married  Miss  Margaret 
Fraser,  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  lived  to 
a  ripe  old  age. 

The  ancestral  line  of  the  Crawford  family  is  trace- 
able to  a  remote  period  in  Scotland  —  beyond  which  it 
may  not  be  prudent  to  go,  since  members  of  the  clan, 
by  reason  of  their  clannishness,  lost  their  heads  in  the 
Tower  of  London. 

The  subject-matter  of  this  volume  was  drawn  from 
scenes  in  Kansas  during  the  past  half-century,  and 
events  incident  to  the  Civil  War  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
The  period  from  the  beginning  of  that  war  to  the  close 
of  the  Indian  wars,  was  thrilling  in  the  extreme.  Bat- 
tles, bloody  and  desperate,  followed  each  other  in  rapid 
succession.  The  States  of  Kansas,  Missouri,  Arkan- 
sas, Louisiana,  and  Texas,  and  the  Indian  Territory 
were  torn  asunder  and  drenched  in  fraternal  blood. 
The  commerce  of  the  plains  was  destroyed  by  hostile 

vii 


PREFACE 

tribes  of  Indians ;  men,  women,  and  children  were  killed 
and  scalped,  and  the  frontier  settlements  laid  in  ashes. 

Following  these  awful  scenes,  which  I  have  endeav- 
ored to  sketch  accurately,  came  peace,  harmony,  hap- 
piness, and  prosperity.  The  cannon  were  melted  into 
monuments;  the  muskets  were  put  away  as  relics  of 
the  past;  swords  were  sheathed;  and  the  bugle-call  to 
arms  was  no  longer  heard.  Brave  boys  were  they  who 
fell,  and  just  as  brave  were  they  who  remained  to  tell 
the  tale. 

The  author  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  almost 
the  last  of  the  "  War  Governors,"  there  being  to  his 
knowledge  only  one  other,  Governor  Sprague,  of  Rhode 
Island,  now  living. 

S.  J.  C. 

TOPEKA,  KANSAS, 
July,  1911. 


CONTENTS 


PART  FIRST 

CHAPTER  I 

PROM    INDIANA  TO   KANSAS 

PAGE 

PRACTISED  LAW  IN  GARNETT  —  THE  FREE  STATE  CONVEN- 
TION —  THE  WYANDOTTE  STATE  CONVENTION  — 
ELECTED  TO  FIRST  STATE  LEGISLATURE  —  THE 
DROUGHT  OF  1860  —  BUFFALO  HUNT  —  RACE  FOR  LIFE 
—  INDIAN  VISITORS  .......  1 

CHAPTER  II 

THE  DAWN  OF  LIGHT 

LINCOLN'S  ELECTION  —  STATE  GOVERNMENT  —  FORT  SUM- 
TER  FIRED  UPON  AND  PRESIDENT'S  CALL  FOR  TROOPS  .  15 

CHAPTER  III 

OFF  TO  THE  WAR 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SECOND  KANSAS  INFANTRY  —  A  TRIP 
TO  TOPEKA  BEHIND  A  WILD  TEAM  —  MUSTERED  INTO 
U.  S.  SERVICE,  JUNE  22,  1861  —  EXPEDITION  TO  AND 
SKIRMISH  AT  FORSYTE  —  BATTLE  OF  DUG  SPRINGS,  AU- 
GUST 2,  1861  —  BATTLE  OF  WILSON'S  CREEK,  AUGUST 
10,  1861  —  BATTLE  OF  SHELBINA  —  REGIMENT  RETURNS 
TO  FORT  LEAVENWORTH  AND  is  MUSTERED  OUT,  OCTO- 
BER 31,  1861 21 

iz 


X  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  IV 

THE  SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY 

TREACHERY  OF  U.  S.  OFFICERS  IN  TEXAS  AND  NEW  MEXICO 
—  GENERAL  SIBLEY'S  RETREAT  AND  REMARKABLE  RE- 
PORT—  EXPEDITION  TO  NEW  MEXICO  —  PURSUIT  OF 
NAVAJO  INDIANS  —  RETURN  TO  FORT  LARNED  —  INDIAN 
COUNCIL  .  40 

CHAPTER  V 

OPERATIONS  IN  MISSOURI  AND  ARKANSAS 

BATTLE  OF  NEWTONIA,  OCTOBER  4,  1862  —  NIGHT  ENGAGE- 
MENT AT  CROSS  HOLLOWS,  OCTOBER  18,  1862  —  BATTLE 
OF  OLD  FORT  WAYNE,  OCTOBER  22,  1862  —  CAPTURE  OF 
BATTERY  —  ENGAGEMENT  AT  BOONSBORO  AND  COVE 
CREEK,  NOVEMBER  8,  1862  —  SKIRMISH  WITH  BUSH- 
WHACKERS —  CAVALRY  FIGHT  AT  CARTHAGE,  NOVEMBER 
20,  1862 53 

CHAPTER  VI 
CAMPAIGN  IN  ARKANSAS 

BATTLE  OF  CANE  HELL  —  BATTLE  OF  THE  BOSTON  MOUN- 
TAINS, DECEMBER  6,  1862  —  BATTLE  OF  PRAIRIE  GROVE, 
DECEMBER  7,  1862  —  ARMISTICE  REQUESTED  BY  GEN- 
ERAL HINDMAN  —  REAL  SOLDIERS  AND  POLITICAL  SOL- 
DIERS   ,  .  68 

CHAPTER  VII 
RAID  ON  VAN  BUREN 

CAPTURE  OF  FOUR  STEAMBOATS  —  PURSUIT  OF  REBELS  IN 
SOUTHWEST  MISSOURI 87 

CHAPTER  VIII 

EXPEDITION  TO  CHOCTAW  NATION  —  CAPTURE  OF  FORT  SMITH 

BATTLE  OF  PERRYVILLE  —  BATTLE  OF  THE  BACKBONE 
MOUNTAINS,  SEPTEMBER  1,  1863  —  OCCUPYING  FORT 
SMITH  —  ADIEU  TO  THE  SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY  95 


CONTENTS  XI 

CHAPTER  IX 

THE  EIGHTY-THIRD  COLORED  INFANTRY 

CAMP  LIFE  AT  FORT  SMITH  —  ORDERS  TO  MOVE  ON  SHREVE- 
PORT  —  BATTLE  OF  PRAIRIE  D'ANE,  APRIL  11-12,  1864 
—  DISGRACEFUL  RETREAT  OF  GENERAL  STEELE  —  SKIR- 
MISH AT  Moscow,  APRIL  13,  1864        ....  104 

CHAPTER  X 

BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  —  BATTLE  OF  JENKINS 's  FERRY 

BLACK  FLAG  —  STEELE 's  RETREAT,  AND  PURSUIT  BY  PRICE 
AND  KIRBY  SMITH  —  BATTLE  OF  JENKINS'S  FERRY, 
APRIL  30,  1864  —  DESPERATE  FIGHTING  OF  THE  EIGHTY- 
THIRD  —  CAPTURE  OF  BATTERY  —  CAPTURE  AND  RE- 
LEASE OF  LIEUT.  JOHN  0.  LOCKHART,  AND  His  REPORT  — 
CREDIT  OF  VICTORY  DUE  GEN.  RICE  —  DISPUTE  AMONG 
REBEL  GENERALS  —  FIGHT  NEAR  WEBBER'S  FALLS, 
JUNE  17,  1864  — -NOMINATED  FOR  GOVERNOR  .  .  116 

CHAPTER  XI 

THE  PRICE  RAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI 

RETREAT  FROM  JEFFERSON  CITY  —  CONCENTRATION  OF  FED- 
ERAL TROOPS  AT  KANSAS  CITY  —  INJURIOUS  COURSE  OF 
NEWSPAPER  —  BATTLE  OF  THE  LITTLE  BLUE,  OCTOBER 
21,  1864  —  COUNCIL  OF  WAR,  SATURDAY  NIGHT,  OCTO- 
BER 22,  1864  —  BATTLE  OF  WESTPORT,  OCTOBER  23,  1864 
—  RETREAT  TOWARD  FORT  SCOTT  ....  139 

CHAPTER  XII 

PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE 

BATTLE  OF  MINE  CREEK  —  CHARGE  OF  COLONELS  PHILLIPS 
AND  BENTEEN  —  GEN.  PRICE'S  REPORT  —  BATTLE  OF 
THE  LITTLE  OSAGE,  OCTOBER  25,  1864  —  GEN.  SHELBY'S 
REPORT  —  PRICE  DEMORALIZED  —  THE  PURSUIT  —  His 
ESCAPE  —  THE  LAST  DITCH  .  157 


CONTENTS 


PART  SECOND 


CHAPTER  XIII 

ELECTION  OF  1864 

DEMOCRATIC  NATIONAL  CONVENTION  —  GEO.  B.  MCCLELLAN 
NOMINATED  FOR  PRESIDENT 185 

CHAPTER  XIV 

NATIONAL  UNION  CONVENTION  OF  1864 

PRESIDENT  LINCOLN  NOMINATED  FOR  RE-ELECTION  —  RE- 
SULT OF  THE  ELECTION  —  THE  CONFEDERACY  DOOMED  194 

CHAPTER  XV 

THE  KANSAS  STATE  CONVENTIONS  AND  ELECTION  OF  1864 

STATE  MILITIA  AND  POLITICAL  GENERALS  —  RESULT  OF  THE 
ELECTION  —  GOVERNOR  's     MESSAGE  —  REORGANIZATION 
OF  THE  STATE  MILITIA  —  THE  SECOND  INAUGURATION     . 
OF  PRESIDENT  LINCOLN  —  ON  TO  CITY  POINT  —  ASSAS- 
SINATION OF  PRESIDENT  LINCOLN          ....  200 

CHAPTER  XVI 

HOMEWARD  BOUND 

INDIAN  MARAUDERS  —  STATE  OFFICERS  —  IMMIGRATION  SO- 
CIETY   222 

CHAPTER  XVH 
1866 

RAILROADS  —  INDIAN  DEPREDATIONS  —  BATTLE  FLAGS  — 
SUICIDE  OF  SENATOR  LANE  —  RE-ELECTED  GOVERNOR  — 
A  DOUBLE  WEDDING  —  STATE  UNIVERSITY  —  STATE  AG- 
RICULTURAL COLLEGE  .  .  229 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XVIII 

SECOND  TERM 

IMPORTANT  LAWS  —  PROTECTION  FOR  THE  FRONTIER  — 
HOSTILE  INDIANS 245 

CHAPTER  XIX 

COUNCIL  AT  MEDICINE  LODGE 

STATEMENT  OF  INDIAN  DEPREDATIONS  —  INDIAN  DIPLOM- 
ACY —  TREATIES  —  BAD  OSAGES  —  THANKSGIVING 
PROCLAMATION 263 

CHAPTER  XX 
THE  LEGISLATURE  OF  1868 284 

CHAPTER  XXI 

HOSTILE  INDIANS 

RAID  ON  COUNCIL  GROVE  —  MASSACRE  IN  THE  SOLOMON 
AND  REPUBLICAN  VALLEYS  —  DESPATCH  TO  PRESIDENT 
JOHNSON  —  BATTLE  OF  THE  ARICKAREE  .  .  .  287 

CHAPTER  XXII 
INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS 

ATTEMPTED  STEAL  OF  THE  OSAGE  LANDS  —  LETTER  AND 
MEMORIAL  TO  U.  S.  SENATE  —  DEFEAT  OF  LAND-GRAB- 
BERS —  CHEROKEE  NEUTRAL  LANDS  —  OPPOSED  BY 
STATE  OFFICERS  —  FRAUDULENT  SALE  OF  THE  SAC  AND 
Fox  LANDS 299 

CHAPTER  XXIII 

FALL  AND  WINTER  CAMPAIGN  OF  1868-69 

RESIGNATION  AS  GOVERNOR  —  OFF  TO  CAMP  SUPPLY  —  Cus- 
TER'S  FIGHT  WITH  BAND  OF  CHEYENNES  —  CAPTIVE, 
SLAIN  —  GEN.  SHERIDAN'S  ACCOUNT  —  SURRENDER  OF 
INDIAN  CHIEFS  —  COL.  MOORE'S  REPORT  OF  THE  PUR- 
SUIT AND  RELEASE  OF  CAPTIVES  —  THE  MISTAKEN  POL- 
ICY OF  THE  GOVERNMENT 317 

CHAPTER  XXIV 

REVIEW  —  PERSONAL  .        .        .  337 


XIV  CONTENTS 


PART  THIRD 


CHAPTER  XXV 

PEACE  AND  POLITICS 

TRIUMPH  OF  BOODLERS  IN  ELECTING  U.  S.  SENATOR  —  DE- 
FEAT OF  POMEROY  AND  ELECTION  OF  SENATOR  INGALLS  345 

CHAPTER  XXVI 
PERILS  OF  THE  TARIFF  POLICY 350 

CHAPTER  XXVII 

STATE  CLAIMS  AND  RAILROAD  GRANTS  —  APPOINTED  STATE 
AGENT  AT  WASHINGTON 353 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 
GENERAL  PRACTICE 

RECOVERY  OF  LANDS  AND  MONEYS  FOR  THE  INDIANS  —  QUA- 
PAW  TREATIES  AND  GOVERNMENTAL  MISMANAGEMENT  360 

CHAPTER  XXIX 
BACK  TO  THE  FARM  —  FARMING  WITH  DYNAMITE     .        .  368 

CHAPTER  XXX 
CONCLUSION 377 

APPENDIX 

TERRITORY  AND  STATE  OF  KANSAS  —  THE  LECOMPTON  CON- 
STITUTION —  THE  MINEOLA  AND  LEAVENWORTH  CONSTI- 
TUTION —  THE  "WYANDOTTE  CONSTITUTION  —  ADMIS- 
SION OF  THE  STATE  OF  KANSAS  —  POPULATION  —  MEM- 
BERS OF  KANSAS  STATE  GOVERNMENT,  1861  —  ROSTER 
OF  REGIMENTAL  OFFICERS,  SECOND  KANSAS  INFANTRY, 
MAY,  1861  —  REGIMENTAL  OFFICERS  SECOND  KANSAS 
CAVALRY,  MARCH,  1862  —  ROSTER  OF  REGIMENTAL  OFFI- 


CONTENTS  XV 

CERS  SECOND  KANSAS  COLORED  INFANTRY  (AFTERWARD 
DESIGNATED  THE  EIGHTY-THIRD  U.  S.  COLORED  TROOPS) 
—  MEMBERS  KANSAS  STATE  LEGISLATURE,  1865  —  MEM- 
BERS KANSAS  STATE  LEGISLATURE,  1866  —  MEMBERS 
KANSAS  STATE  GOVERNMENT,  1867  —  ROSTER  OF  OFFI- 
CERS EIGHTEENTH  KANSAS  CAVALRY,  JULY  15,  1867  — 
MEMBERS  KANSAS  STATE  LEGISLATURE,  1868  —  ADDRESS 
OF  HON.  JOHN  DAWSON  ON  THE  LEGISLATURE  OF  1868 
(DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE  KANSAS  STATE  HISTORICAL  SO- 
CIETY, DECEMBER  4,  1906)  — CALL  FOR  STATE  TROOPS, 
SEPTEMBER  10,  1868  —  ROSTER  OF  OFFICERS,  FRONTIER 
BATTALION,  1868  —  CHEROKEE  TREATY  OF  1868  —  CALL 
FOR  STATE  TROOPS,  OCTOBER  10,  1868  —  THANKSGIVING 
PROCLAMATION,  NOVEMBER  4,  1868  —  ROSTER  OF  THE 
NINETEENTH  KANSAS  CAVALRY 381 

INDEX  ,  .          433 


PORTRAITS 


SAMUEL  J.  CRAWFORD Frontispiece 

COLONEL  SAMUEL  J.  CRAWFORD,  AT  28  YEARS  OF  AGE        .  136 

GEN.  AND  MRS.  SAMUEL  J.  CRAWFORD  :  GEN.  CRAWFORD  AT 
32  YEARS  OF  AGE  .  242 


KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


PART  FIRST 


CHAPTER  I 

FROM  INDIANA  TO  KANSAS 

PRACTISED    LAW    IN    GARNETT THE    FREE    STATE    CONVEN- 
TION   THE  WYANDOTTE  STATE  CONVENTION ELECTED 

TO  FIRST  STATE  LEGISLATURE THE  DROUGHT  OF  1860 

BUFFALO  HUNT RACE  FOR  LIFE  —  INDIAN  VISITORS. 

HAVING  received  an  early  training  for  the  battle 
of  life,  I  bade  adieu  to  friends  and  the  scenes  of 
childhood,  and  turned  my  face  toward  Kansas,  a  new 
planet  then  rising  in  the  West,  and  struggling  to  throw 
off  the  barnacle  of  human  slavery  and  assume  its 
proper  position  among  the  Free  States  of  the  Union. 

Eight  hours  brought  me  to  the  Mississippi  by  rail 
and  across  on  the  old  ferry  to  the  city  of  St.  Louis. 
From  there,  after  viewing  the  sights,  I  took  passage 
on  a  Missouri  River  steamer  and  without  incident  of 
note,  in  due  time  reached  Kansas  City,  then  a  village  of 
cabins,  but  now  a  most  beautiful  city  standing  upon 
many  hills. 

On  the  first  day  of  March,  1859,  in  company  with 
a  young  man  from  the  State  of  Illinois,  I  crossed  the 
line  on  foot  into  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  and  after  a 
tiresome  journey  over  broad  prairies,  with  only  an 

i 


2  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

occasional  settler's  cabin  to  be  seen,  we  reached  the 
town  of  Garnett,  seventy-five  miles  distant  from  Kan- 
sas City,  on  the  morning  of  March  4,  1859. 

The  town  looked  good  to  me ;  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, interspersed  with  winding  streams  and  forests 
green,  stretching  away  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
was  enchanting ;  and  the  citizens  were  plain,  generous- 
hearted  people,  who  extended  the  right  hand  of  fellow- 
ship and  welcomed  us  to  stay  and  cast  our  lot  with 
them.  I  at  once  determined  to  make  Garnett  my  future 
home,  and  immediately  engaged  quarters  at  the  new 
hotel  on  Quality  Hill,  at  three  dollars  per  week. 

PEACTISED  LAW  IN  GARNETT 

Soon  thereafter  I  opened  an  office  on  the  Public 
Square  and  settled  down  to  the  practice  of  the  law. 

My  travelling  companion  resolved  to  look  farther; 
but  going  alone,  he  soon  became  discouraged  and  re- 
turned to  the  home  of  his  youth,  to  discover  later  that 
he  had  made  a  serious  mistake.  His  intentions  were 
good,  but  like  many  other  young  men  starting  in  life, 
he  lacked  staying  qualities. 

Having  determined  on  making  Garnett  my  future 
home,  I  sent  back  to  Kansas  City  for  my  worldly  goods, 
including  a  law  library,  which,  at  that  early  date,  was 
above  the  average  in  Southern  Kansas.  In  due  time  I 
acquired  a  fairly  good  practice,  which  steadily  in- 
creased until  the  War  of  the  Eebellion  broke  out. 

Garnett  was  the  county  seat  of  Anderson  County, 
and  when  I  located  there  it  had  a  population  of  about 
six  hundred  people.  The  county  was  but  sparsely 
settled,  while  a  vast  area  of  rich  public  land  awaited 
the  coming  of  home-seekers. 

The  laws  of  Kansas  Territory,  at  that  time,  were 
substantially  the  same  as  the  laws  of  Missouri,  re- 
enacted  by  a  bogus  Legislature  composed  largely  of 
citizens  of  Missouri  and  other  Slave  States,  who  had 
come  to  Kansas  and  elected  themselves  members  of  the 


FROM  INDIANA  TO  KANSAS  3 

Territorial  Legislature.  The  Missouri  statutes  were 
made  applicable  by  striking  out  the  words,  "  State  of 
Missouri, ' '  where  they  appeared  in  the  statutes  of  that 
State,  and  inserting  in  lieu  thereof,  the  words,  "  Kan- 
sas Territory."  These  bogus  statutes  protected  slav- 
ery in  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  as  the  Missouri  statutes 
protected  it  in  that  State.  Hence,  it  took  time  and  be- 
came necessary  for  young  lawyers  coming  into  the 
Territory  to  study  our  Proslavery  statutes  and  sepa- 
rate, if  they  could,  that  portion  which  was  applicable, 
from  the  mass  of  confused  and  contradictory  stuff  that 
was  wholly  inapplicable. 

But  the  lawyers,  young  and  old,  did  the  best  they 
could  under  the  circumstances.  "When  they  were  con- 
sulted in  regard  to  a  law  that  was  not  applicable  or 
that  ran  counter  to  the  prevailing  opinion  among  the 
Free-State  men, —  such,  for  instance,  as  the  Slave  Code, 
copied  from  the  Missouri  statutes,  or  the  Fugitive 
Slave  Law,  as  interpreted  by  the  Supreme  Court, — 
they  would  sometimes  advise  their  clients  to  let  their 
cases  go  by  default,  lest  their  adversary  appeal  to  the 
Higher  Court  at  Osawatomie,  whose  decrees,  if  just, 
were  not  always  tempered  with  mercy. 

The  Summer  of  1859  in  Southern  Kansas  was  de- 
lightful, and  the  mile-posts  were  passed  in  rapid  suc- 
cession. Once  each  week,  when  the  rivers  could  be 
forded,  Zack  Squires  would  bring  the  mail  in  a  hack 
from  Lawrence,  and  occasionally  the  lawyers  would  go 
to  the  Land  Office  at  Lecompton  to  attend  to  preemp- 
tion and  land  cases;  otherwise,  the  current  of  events 
flowed  smoothly. 

THE  FBEE-STATE  CONVENTION 

On  May  18, 1859,  the  Free-State  people  of  the  Terri- 
tory assembled  at  Osawatomie  and  organized  the  Re- 
publican party  in  Kansas.  At  this  convention,  Horace 
Greeley,  of  The  New  York  Tribune,  made  a  speechj  in 
the  course  of  which  he  said : 


4  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

"  Freemen  of  Kansas!  I  would  inspire  you  with  no 
unwarranted,  no  overweening  confidence  of  success  in  the 
great  struggle  directly  before  us.  I  have  passed  the  age  of 
illusions,  and  no  longer  presume  a  party  or  cause  destined  to 
triumph  merely  because  I  know  it  should.  On  the  contrary, 
when  I  consider  how  vast  are  the  interests  and  influences 
combined  to  defeat  us,  the  three  thousand  millions  of  prop- 
erty in  human  flesh  and  blood,  the  subserviency  of  commerce 
to  this  great  source  of  custom  and  profit,  the  prevalence  of 
ignorance  and  of  selfishness  affecting  the  many  millions 
prodigally  lavished  by  the  wielders  of  Federal  authority,  the 
lust  of  office,  and  the  prevalence  of  corruption,  I  often  regard 
the  struggle  of  1860  with  less  of  hope  than  of  apprehension. 
Yet,  when  I  think  of  the  steady  diffusion  of  intelligence,  the 
manifest  antagonism  between  the  Slavery  Extensionists  and 
the  interests  of  Free  Labor,  when  I  consider  how  vital  and 
imminent  is  the  necessity  for  the  passage  of  the  Free  Land 
Bill ;  when  I  feel  how  the  very  air  of  the  nineteenth  century 
vibrates  to  the  pulsations  of  the  great  heart  of  Humanity, 
beating  higher  and  higher  with  aspirations  for  universal 
freedom,  until  even  barbarous  Russia  is  intent  on  striking 
off  the  shackles  of  her  fettered  millions,  I  cannot  repress  the 
hope  that  we  are  on  the  eve  of  a  grand,  beneficent  victory. 
But,  whether  destined  to  be  waved  in  triumph  over  our  next 
great  battlefield,  or  trodden  into  its  mire  through  our  defeat, 
I  entreat  you  to  keep  the  Republican  flag  flying  in  Kansas, 
so  long  as  one  man  can  anywhere  be  rallied  to  defend  it. 
Defile  not  the  glorious  dust  of  the  martyred  dead  whose 
freshly  grassed  graves  lie  thickly  around  us,  by  trailing  that 
flag  in  dishonor,  or  folding  it  in  cowardly  despair  on  this 
soil  so  lately  reddened  by  their  patriotic  blood.  If  it  be 
destined,  in  the  mysterious  Providence  of  God,  to  go  down, 
let  the  sunlight  which  falls  lovingly  upon  their  graves  catch 
the  last  defiant  wave  of  its  folds  in  the  breeze  which  sweeps 
over  these  prairies;  let  it  be  burned,  not  surrendered,  when 
no  one  remains  to  uphold  it;  and  let  its  ashes  rest  forever 
with  theirs  by  the  banks  of  the  Marias  des  Cygnes!  " 

After  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party,  the 
Proslavery  people  who  remained  in  the  Territory 
united  with  the  old-line  Democrats,  who  did  not  seem 


FROM  INDIANA  TO  KANSAS  5 

to  care  whether  slavery  was  voted  up  or  voted  down, 
and  thereafter  sulked  in  their  tents  until  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion  broke  out,  when  most  of  them  stood  for  the 
Union  and  proved  their  loyalty  on  the  field  of  battle. 

On  November  19,  1858,  President  Buchanan  ap- 
pointed Samuel  Medary,  of  Ohio,  as  Governor  of  the 
Territory,  and  made  other  spasmodic  efforts  to  check 
the  dastardly  abuses  and  high-handed  outrages  of  Pro- 
slavery  officials  in  Kansas.  But  he  was  handicapped 
by  traitors  in  his  Cabinet  and  in  both  Houses  of  Con- 
gress, who  blocked  his  pathway  at  every  step. 

Governor  Medary  tried  to  be  decent,  but  it  was  im- 
possible for  him  to  do  his  duty  and  hold  his  position. 
He  took  the  oath  of  office  before  Chief  Justice  Taney  of 
the  Supreme  Court  in  Washington,  on  December  1, 
1858,  and  arrived  in  Kansas  December  17. 

On  January  3, 1859,  the  Territorial  Legislature  con- 
vened at  Lecompton,  and  on  the  seventh  it  adjourned 
to  meet  and  hold  its  session  at  Lawrence. 

THE  WYANDOTTE  STATE  CONVENTION 

In  pursuance  of  authority  from  the  Legislature, 
Governor  Medary,  on  March  7,  issued  his  proclamation 
calling  an  election  to  decide  on  holding  a  Constitutional 
Convention.  The  election  was  held  on  March  28,  and 
the  majority  for  a  Constitution  and  State  Government 
was  3,881.  So,  on  April  19,  the  Governor  announced 
an  election  to  be  held  on  June  4,  for  delegates,  and  des- 
ignated Wyandotte  as  the  place  of  meeting.  On  July 
5,  the  delegates  elect  assembled  and  organized,  as  pro- 
vided by  law.  The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the 
members : 

Member,  and  County  Represented.      Member,  and  County  Represented. 

J.  M.  Arthur,  Linn.  Josiah  Lamb,  Linn. 

Caleb    May,    Atchison.  S.  A.  Kingman,  Brown. 

J.  J.   Ingalls,   Atchison.  John  P.   Greer,   Shawnee. 

R.   L.    Williams,    Douglas.  J.  A.  Middleton,  Marshall. 

B.   F.   Simpson,  Lykins    (Miami).  P.  H.  Townsend,  Douglas. 


KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 


Member,  and  County  ^Represented.      Member,  and  County  Eepresented. 


H.  D.  Preston,  Shawnee. 

W.    E.    Griffith,   Bourbon. 

T.    S.    Wright,    Nemaha. 

S.    E.    Hoffman,    Woodson. 

L.  E.  Palmer,   Potawatami. 

Jas.   Hanway,   Franklin. 

Jas.  Blood,  Douglas. 

Ed.    Stokes,    Douglas. 

J.  P.   Slough,  Leavenworth. 

C.   B.   McClelland,   Jefferson. 

J.    Stiarwalt,    Doniphan. 

P.    S.    Parks,    Leavenworth. 

Samuel    Hippie,    Leavenworth. 

Wm.    C.    McDowell,   Leavenworth. 

John  Wright,  Leavenworth. 

E.    C.   Foster,   Leavenworth. 

J.  T.  Barton,  Johnson. 

B.    Wrigley,   Doniphan. 

J.   Eitchie,   Shawnee. 

J.   H.   Signer,   Allen. 

J.  M.  Winchell,  Osage. 

J.  M.  Winchell  . 
John  A.  Martin 
G.  F.  Warren 


J.  C.  Burnett,  Bourbon. 

N.   C.  Blood,  Douglas. 

G.  H.   Lillie,   Madison. 

A.    Crocker,    Coffey. 

Jas  G.  Blunt,  Anderson. 

W.    Hutchinson,   Douglas. 

S.   O.  Thacher,  Douglas. 

S.    D.    Houston,   Eiley. 

W.    McCulloch,    Morris. 

J.  W.  Forman,  Doniphan. 

E    M.    Hubbard,   Doniphan. 

Fred    Brown,    Leavenworth. 

S.  A.  Stinson,  Leavenworth. 

A.  D.  McCune,  Leavenworth. 

Wm.    Perry,    Leavenworth. 

Eobt.    Graham,    Atchison. 

E.   Moore,  Jackson. 

W.  P.  Dutton,  Lykins     (Miami). 

E.    G.    Boss,    Wabaunsee. 

E.  J.  Porter,  Doniphan. 

J.  T.   Burris,   Johnson. 

President 
Secretary 
Sergeant-at-Arms 


On  July  29,  the  Convention  completed  its  work  and 
submitted  it  to  a  vote  of  the  people  for  ratification  or 
rejection.  On  October  4, 1859,  an  election  was  held  and 
the  Constitution  ratified  by  a  vote  of  about  two  to  one. 

ELECTED  TO  FIKST  STATE  LEGISLATURE 

On  December  6,  1859,  in  accordance  with  the  Con- 
stitution previously  adopted,  an  election  was  held  for 
the  purpose  of  selecting  State  Officers,  Judges  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  a  Member  of  Congress,  and  Members 
of  the  State  Legislature.  At  this  election  I  was  chosen 
as  a  Member  of  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  by  an 
overwhelming  majority. 

Thus  after  a  struggle  of  five  years,  between  the 
Free-State  and  Proslavery  parties,  with  the  Govern- 
ment at  Washington  on  the  side  of  the  slave  power,  and 
a  horde  of  assassins  and  border-ruffians  from  the  Slave 


FROM  INDIANA  TO  KANSAS  7 

States  prowling  about  the  Territory  and  seeking  the 
lives  of  Free-State  settlers,  the  foundation  for  a  Free- 
State  Government  was  laid  in  solid  granite. 

It  was  the  beginning  of  the  end.  The  Free-State 
men,  though  greatly  outnumbered  when  the  struggle 
began,  stood  their  ground  resolutely  and  returned  blow 
for  blow.  From  the  beginning  it  was  war  to  the  knife. 
The  magnitude  of  the  issue  involved  was  scarcely  un- 
derstood by  either  of  the  contending  forces.  The  ob- 
ject of  the  Free-State  people  was  to  make  Kansas  a 
free  State  and  secure  homes  therein.  The  purpose  of 
the  Proslavery  party  was  to  make  Kansas  a  Slave  State 
and  thereby  make  slavery  national  and  freedom 
sectional. 

Yes,  it  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  era;  a  deadly 
blow  at  the  institution  of  human  slavery.  In  Kansas 
the  battle  was  over,  and  we  had  only  to  wait  for  the  cur- 
tain to  rise  and  reveal  a  new  and  most  brilliant  star  in 
the  blue  field  of  the  West.  From  this  time  forward,  the 
Free-State  men  held  the  political  reins,  until  Mr.  Lin- 
coln was  elected  President,  and  the  State  of  Kansas 
was  admitted  into  the  Union. 

At  that  time  the  Territory  extended  from  the  west- 
ern boundary  of  the  State  of  Missouri  to  the  summit  of 
the  Eocky  Mountains,  and  from  the  thirty-seventh  to 
the  fortieth  degree  of  north  latitude ;  a  vast  area  of  un- 
preempted  public  lands,  rich  in  agricultural  and  min- 
eral resources  and  open  to  the  settlement  rights  of  the 
people. 

The  Winter  of  1859-60  was  pleasant:  the  settlers 
were  breaking  the  primeval  soil,  erecting  homes,  and 
planting  orchards;  and  evidence  of  thrift  and  pros- 
perity was  visible  on  every  hand. 

THE  DROUGHT  OF  1860 

The  Spring  and  Summer  of  1860  came  and  passed 
without  any  rainfall,  and  yet  the  prairie  grass  was  nu- 
tritious, the  cattle  and  horses  were  rolling  fat,  and  wild 


8  KANSAS  IN  THE   SIXTIES 

game  we  had  in  abundance ;  besides,  the  gardens  were 
fairly  good,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of  corn  was 
produced  on  the  valley  lands.  So,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
there  was  no  real  suffering  for  food  on  account  of  the 
drought. 

And  yet  it  was  proclaimed  by  aid  solicitors,  at  home 
and  abroad,  who  were  at  work  largely  for  themselves, 
rather  than  for  suffering  humanity,  that  the  people 
of  Kansas  were  living  on  roots  and  herbs,  and  many  of 
them  actually  starving.  That  was  not  true.  Neverthe- 
less, a  vast  amount  of  provisions,  clothing,  and  money 
was  contributed  by  honest,  sympathetic  people  in  States 
east  of  the  Mississippi  and  shipped  to  the  Kansas  Aid 
Society  for  distribution.  Some  of  the  provisions  and 
clothing  were  distributed  where  they  would  do  the  most 
good,  but  as  for  the  distribution  of  the  money  that  was 
sent,  no  report  as  yet  has  been  made.  The  whole 
scheme  was  a  fraud,  and  it  gave  Kansas  a  set-back 
from  which  the  Territory  and  State  did  not  recover  for 
many  years. 

Anderson  County,  where  I  resided  at  that  time,  Was 
perhaps  an  average  of  the  counties  in  the  Territory, 
and  the  people  of  the  county  refused  absolutely  to  ac- 
cept any  of  the  "aid  goods";  yet  they  fared  almost  as 
well  as  they  had  in  previous  years.  One  enterprising 
merchant  sent  three  wagons  to  the  Missouri  River  for 
supplies,  but  when  they  returned  laden  with  beans  and 
stale  provisions,  the  people  would  not  accept  the  stuff. 
The  teamsters  brought  suit  against  the  merchant  for 
freight  charges,  and  the  goods  when  sold  did  not  pay 
for  the  cost  of  transportation. 

The  Territory  was  then  but  sparsely  settled,  and 
while  the  drought  of  that  year  was  a  heavy  blow,  it  by 
no  means  made  beggars  of  the  bona  fide  settlers.  Gro- 
ceries and  clothing  could  be  bought  then,  as  now,  and 
wild  game  in  abundance  was  within  easy  reach.  Flocks 
of  prairie  chickens  were  within  rifle-shot  of  almost 
every  cabin  door.  Deer  were  plentiful,  and  buffalo  by 


PROM  INDIANA  TO  KANSAS  9 

the  million  roamed  the  plains,  from  our  then  frontier 
settlements  to  the  eastern  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

BUFFALO  HUNT 

a 

During  the  Fall  of  1860,  the  year  of  our  ever-mem- 
orable drought,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  accompanying  a 
hunting  party  to  the  buffalo  range.  On  the  first  of  Oc- 
tober, our  party,  consisting  of  sixteen  braves,  with 
four  wagons,  and  a  good  supply  of  arms,  ammunition, 
saddle  hores,  etc.,  started  from  Garnett  and  journeyed 
westward  through  Coffey,  Greenwood,  and  Butler 
Counties  to  the  border-line  where  civilization  and  sav- 
agery met.  J.  R.  Meade's  ranch  on  the  White  Water, 
eight  miles  west  of  old  Eldorado,  was  the  outpost,  the 
last  of  the  white  man 's  habitations.  From  there  west- 
ward we  were  guided  by  moccasin  tracks  and  the  buf- 
falo trail. 

The  first  night  in  the  savage  regions  we  camped  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  Little  Arkansas  River,  five  miles 
north  of  where  the  city  of  Wichita  now  stands.  Before 
crossing  the  river  that  evening,  we  saw  our  first  buffalo, 
and  that  night  the  wolves  threatened  an  attack  from  all 
sides.  The  next  morning  one  of  our  warriors,  who  had 
"  fought  Indians  from  the  Powder  River  country  to 
the  Staked  Plains  of  Texas,"  startled  our  Nimrods 
with  the  statement  that  while  strolling  out  that  morn- 
ing, he  had  discovered  the  trail  of  an  Osage  war  party 
going  west.  This  had  a  tendency  to  dampen  the  ardor 
of  those  who  heard  the  story.  After  discussing  the  re- 
port briefly,  we  deemed  it  advisable  to  organize  for 
offensive  warfare;  whereupon  I  was  unanimously 
elected  Captain,  with  instructions  to  allow  no  guilty 
Osage  to  approach  the  camp. 

After  breakfast  the  expedition  moved  south  and 
crossed  the  main  Arkansas  River  near  the  junction  of 
the  two  rivers.  While  the  command  was  crossing  the 
river  and  winding  its  way  through  the  low  bottom  to 
higher  ground,  I  crossed  and  rode  down  on  the  west 


10  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

side,  crossed  again  to  the  east,  and  selected  the  site 
where  Wichita  now  stands;  but  of  this  I  shall  speak 
later  on.  That  night  we  camped  on  the  Cowskin,  about 
twelve  miles  from  the  Arkansas  Eiver.  From  the  Cow- 
skin  we  moved  in  a  southwesterly  direction  to  the  Nin- 
nescah,  some  forty  miles  from  the  Arkansas,  and  there 
camped  and  killed  buffalo,  deer,  and  wild  turkey  for  a 
week  or  so ;  then  we  moved  due  north  to  the  Arkansas, 
and  thence  north  to  Cow  Creek,  about  fifteen  miles 
above  where  the  city  of  Hutchinson  now  stands.  Here 
we  camped  two  weeks,  and  after  killing  all  the  buffalo, 
deer,  turkey,  geese,  ducks,  and  other  things  essential, 
we  folded  our  tents,  packed  our  wagons  with  the  fruits 
of  the  expedition,  and  turned  our  faces  toward 
civilization. 

The  first  day  on  our  return  brought  us  to  the  cross- 
ing of  Cow  Creek,  and  thence  southward  a  mile  to  a 
beautiful  grove  of  large  cottonwood  trees  on  the  Ar- 
kansas River. 

EACE  FOB  LIFE 

When  we  crossed  Cow  Creek,  one  of  our  athletes, 
William  Wetts,  suggested  that  while  the  other  fellows 
were  going  on  to  the  grove  and  making  camp,  he  and  I 
should  go  north  a  half-mile,  where  a  large  herd  of  buf- 
falo were  grazing,  and  kill  just  one  more  for  luck.  I 
readily  accepted  his  proposition,  and  when  the  boys 
had  moved  on  we  two  started  and  walked  slowly  toward 
the  herd. 

It  was  our  intention  to  select  a  young  buffalo  and, 
when  within  proper  distance,  both  shoot  at  the  same 
time.  As  yet  the  buffalo  had  not  scented  us  and  we 
moved  closer  and  closer  until  within  about  two  hundred 
yards  of  the  one  we  had  selected  as  our  meat.  While 
waiting  for  the  innocent  little  fellow  to  turn  partly 
around  so  as  to  give  us  a  better  aim,  a  huge  buffalo 
bull  away  back  in  the  herd,  snuffed  danger  from  afar, 
and,  raising  his  head,  saw  us  standing  out  in  the  open 


FROM  INDIANA  TO  KANSAS  11 

prairie  with  guns  at  ready.  The  old  bison  instantly 
threw  himself  into  line  of  battle,  and,  sounding  the  war- 
whoop,  started  toward  us  at  a  rattling  pace. 

Billy,  my  companion,  had  previously  talked  much 
of  his  prowess  and  athletic  attainments ;  and  I,  as  Com- 
mander-in-Chief  of  the  expedition,  had,  no  doubt,  said 
some  things  indicative  of  what  I  might  be  able  to  do 
under  extraordinary  circumstances ;  but  now,  the  time 
for  boasting  had  passed.  A  really  dangerous  foe  was 
approaching  at  a  rapid  pace.  The  other  warriors  of 
our  command  were  in  camp  a  mile  and  a  half  distant. 
Here  we  were  standing,  like  two  orphans,  in  bold  relief 
out  on  a  broad  smooth  prairie  with  absolutely  nothing 
behind  which  we  could  take  shelter. 

My  first  thought  was  to  let  the  brute  come  within 
close  range  and  then  deploy  to  the  right  and  left  and 
both  give  him  a  broad-sider  as  he  passed,  and  I  so  di- 
rected. But  when  he  got  within  fifty  or  sixty  paces  of 
our  line,  Billy,  the  left  wing  of  my  army,  broke  and 
started  at  the  top  of  his  speed  back  over  the  trail  on 
which  we  had  moved  out.  Not  wishing  to  fight  the  bat- 
tle all  alone,  I  quickly  followed,  thinking  we  might 
reach  the  crossing  of  Cow  Creek,  a  half-mile  away. 

The  speed  of  a  buffalo  is  about  the  same  as  that 
of  an  average  horse  —  but  they  seemingly  never  tire. 
From  previous  boasting,  our  speed  was  supposed  to  be 
about  the  same  as  that  of  a  deer  or  an  antelope.  We 
were  both  in  our  prime  —  twenty-five  years  of  age  and 
in  fine  running  trim.  Billy  was  short  in  stature  and 
fat  as  a  pig;  and  I  was  tall,  lean,  and  slept  little  o' 
nights. 

When  Billy  broke  our  line  of  battle,  I  was  resting 
with  one  knee  on  the  ground  and  ready  to  leap  to  one 
side  and  shoot  the  buffalo  behind  the  fore  shoulder, 
our  favorite  place  for  shooting  them.  The  range  of  the 
guns  we  then  had  was  short,  and  a  rifle  ball  would  not 
penetrate  the  skull  of  a  buffalo.  So,  when  Billy  started, 
I  hastily  concluded  to  reserve  my  fire  and  go  with  him. 


12  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

When  I  started,  he  was  already  under  full  sail  about 
fifteen  or  twenty  paces  in  advance,  but  in  a  few  mo- 
ments I  was  by  his  side  and,  in  fact,  slightly  gaining  on 
him.  He  called  to  me,  saying,  "  Crawford,  don't 
leave  me !  Let  's  die  together !  "  I  then  slackened  my 
pace  and  we  ran  side  by  side  for  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  holding  our  distance  pretty  well  ahead  of  the 
buffalo. 

But  by  this  time  we  were  beginning  to  tire  and  Billy 
was  breathing  quite  loud  and  fast.  Then  the  buffalo 
began  gradually  to  gain  on  us.  After  running  perhaps 
two  hundred  yards  farther,  I  was  pretty  tired,  but 
Billy  was  about  exhausted;  then  I  saw,  a  mile  to  our 
left-front,  some  men  in  a  two-horse  wagon  coming  at 
full  speed  to  our  relief.  That  encouraged  us  somewhat 
and  we  made  a  half-turn  to  meet  the  wagon.  The  buf- 
falo turned  when  we  did,  and  was  within  twenty  feet 
of  us,  when  the  horses,  running  at  full  speed,  struck 
him  broadside;  then  he  turned  away  toward  the  Ar- 
kansas River,  apparently  as  fresh  as  when  the  race  be- 
gan. We  did  not  give  him  a  parting  shot  but  the  boys 
from  camp,  seeing  the  conclusion  of  our  run  for  life, 
went  out  with  their  guns  and  took  his  scalp  before  he 
reached  the  river. 

While  out  on  this  hunting  expedition,  every  member 
of  our  party  had  his  experience,  which  was  both  new 
and  beneficial.  At  that  time  the  wild  Indians  were 
roaming  the  plains  in  search  of  anything  they  might 
find  lying  around  loose.  The  Osages  and  Kaws  were 
also  out,  laying  in  their  winter  supply  of  buffalo  meat, 
and  watching  for  a  chance  to  steal  ponies  from  the  wild 
tribes,  and  horses  from  hunting  parties. 

INDIAN  VISITORS 

On  one  occasion  a  party  of  friendly  Osages  ap- 
proached our  camp,  with  good  intentions,  of  course,  but 
did  not  venture  within  range  of  our  guns.  No  doubt 
it  was  the  same  band  that  had  crossed  the  Little 


FROM  INDIANA  TO  KANSAS  13 

Arkansas  a  few  hours  ahead  of  us  when  we  were  going 
out.  The  Osages  at  that  time,  when  on  their  reserva- 
tion, were  a  noble  specimen  of  the  half -civilized  tribes ; 
but  when  out  on  the  plains  hunting,  they  stuck  feathers 
in  their  war-bonnets  and  went  wild  as  the  Cheyennes ; 
yet  like  all  other  Indians,  and  many  white  people,  they 
had  a  wholesome  respect  for  force.  They  would  steal 
anything  they  could  get  their  hands  on  and  plunder  the 
camps  of  small  hunting  parties,  when  there  was  no  dan- 
ger of  losing  their  own  scalps ;  but  people  who  under- 
stood them  had  little  to  fear. 

Our  visitors  were  anxious  to  come  into  camp,  but 
seeing  resolute  men  with  guns  in  their  hands,  concluded 
that  discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valor,  and  sat  on 
their  fleet  ponies  in  battle  array  until  "  Old  Relia- 
bility "  ( J.  P.  Hiner),  a  young  man  of  twenty,  and  my- 
self, went  out  and  motioned  them  to  move  on.  No  doubt 
we  should  have  had  trouble  with  this  band  but  for  the 
fact  that  their  mortal  enemies,  the  Cheyennes  and  Ara- 
pahoes,  two  wild  warlike  tribes  of  the  plains,  were  lying 
in  wait  for  them  a  day  or  so's  journey  to  the  west. 
For  the  Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes  they  had  a  whole- 
some respect,  because  when  they  met  on  the  open 
prairie,  the  surviving  Osages  usually  went  back  to  their 
reservation  on  foot. 

These  were  but  a  part  of  the  thrilling  events  inci- 
dent to  this  hunting  expedition  of  Territorial  days.  To 
relate  all  the  wild  rides,  reckless  adventures,  and  hair- 
breadth escapes  would  require  a  volume.  What  has 
already  been  said  is  sufficient  to  give  the  young  people 
of  the  present  day  an  idea  of  the  hunter's  life  and  con- 
ditions generally,  on  the  border  at  an  early  day. 

Having  accomplished  the  purpose  of  the  expedition 
and  established  a  reputation  as  hunters,  we  called  in 
the  guard,  folded  our  tents  and  turned  our  faces  home- 
ward. On  our  return  to  Garnett,  early  in  November, 
the  fruits  of  the  expedition  —  four  wagon-loads  of 
choice  meats  and  a  train-load  of  romance  —  were  dis- 


14  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

tributed  among  the  good  people  of  Anderson  County, 
and  in  return,  the  happy  girls  with  rosy  cheeks  and 
calico  frocks,  gave  us  a  "  buffalo  dance  "  that  was  en- 
joyed by  all,  and  especially  by  those  who  had  roamed 
the  plains  for  a  month  in  search  of  something  to  kill. 

While  out  hunting,  our  party  had  no  difficulty  in 
finding  all  the  buffalo  we  wanted ;  and  the  same  is  true 
of  other  parties  who  went  out  that  Fall.  There  were 
millions  of  buffalo  and  deer  in  the  territory  now  em- 
braced in  the  counties  of  Sumner,  Sedgwick,  Reno,  Bice, 
McPherson,  Saline,  Ellsworth,  Ottawa,  Mitchell,  Cloud, 
and  Republic ;  all  within  reach  of  the  people  of  Kansas. 
The  buffalo  meat  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  when  the  ani- 
mals were  fat,  was  in  every  way  equal  to  that  of  corn- 
fed  beeves,  and,  I  think,  superior. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  DAWN  OF  LIGHT 

LINCOLN  'S   ELECTION STATE    GOVERNMENT FORT    SUM- 

TER  FIRED  UPON  AND  PRESIDENT'S  CALL  FOR  TROOPS. 

THE  Winter  of  1860-61  was  pleasant,  and  all  eyes 
were  turned  on  Congress  to  see  what  might  be 
done  with  our  new  Constitution.  The  Free-State  peo- 
ple wanted  it  accepted,  and  the  State  admitted  into  the 
Union.  The  Proslavery  people  were  still  hoping 
against  hope.  The  struggle  in  Kansas  had  been  long 
and  sometimes  bitter  and  bloody,  but  now  the  people 
were  quiet,  and  things  generally  had  become  normal. 

The  Act  of  Congress  of  May  30,  1854,  establishing 
the  Territory  of  Kansas,  left  the  question  of  slavery  to 
be  decided  by  the  bona  fide  settlers  of  the  Territory; 
that  Act  was  subsequently  followed  by  a  decision  of  the 
Supreme  Court  which  authorized  the  slave-owners  to 
take  their  human  chattels  into  any  of  the  Territories 
of  the  United  States. 

Kansas,  being  contiguous  to  a  Slave  State  and  well 
adapted  to  slave  labor,  became  at  once  a  bone  of  con- 
tention between  the  Free-State  and  Proslavery  people. 
The  latter  were  desperate,  and  resorted  to  every  means, 
fair  and  foul,  honest  and  dishonest,  to  establish  slavery 
in  Kansas.  Their  dupes  from  Western  Missouri,  not 
one  in  a  hundred  of  whom  owned  a  slave,  swarmed 
across  the  border  into  Kansas  and  committed  crimes 
most  brutal  and  barbarous.  They  came  in  squads,  com- 
panies, and  regiments,  and  (as  already  shown)  elected 
citizens  of  Missouri  as  members  of  the  Territorial  Leg- 
islature —  a  Legislature,  the  majority  of  whose  mem- 
is 


16  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

bers  committed  perjury  when  they  took  the  oath  of  of- 
fice. They  met  at  the  Shawnee  Mission,  near  Westport, 
Missouri,  and  enacted  a  code  of  laws  for  the  Territory 
of  Kansas  by  taking  the  statutes  of  Missouri  and  strik- 
ing out  the  words,  "  State  of  Missouri,"  where  they 
appeared,  and  inserting  in  their  place  the  words, 
"  Kansas  Territory."  Such  were  our  laws  until  sub- 
sequently changed  by  a  Free-State  Legislature. 

The  Missourians,  reinforced  by  renegades  from 
other  Slave  States,  and  led  by  David  Atchison,  Colonel 
Doniphan,  Jim  Burnes,  Stringfellow,  Buford,  and 
smaller  lights,  raided  the  settlements  of  Kansas,  robbed 
and  murdered  Free-State  settlers,  burned  their  houses, 
sacked  the  city  of  Lawrence,  and  committed  other  out- 
rages horrible  to  relate. 

But  while  these  scenes  were  being  enacted  by  the 
Proslavery  cohorts  under  the  eye  of  the  administration 
at  Washington,  and  with  the  assistance  of  Federal  of- 
ficers in  Kansas,  the  Free-State  men  and  women  were 
not  unmindful  of  their  rights,  nor  indifferent  as  to  re- 
sults. James  H.  Lane,  Charles  Robinson,  John  Brown, 
S.  C.  Pomeroy,  Marcus  J.  Parrott,  W.  A.  Phillips,  Mrs. 
Charles  Robinson,  and  many  other  heroic  men  and 
women  were  in  the  saddle,  booted  and  spurred,  and 
ready  to  do  and  die  in  defence  of  their  homes,  of  free- 
dom and  of  a  Free  State. 

From  '54  to  '57  the  Proslavery  people  had  behind 
them  the  Federal  Government,  the  Territorial  Govern- 
ment, the  United  States  Army,  and  a  horde  of  border 
ruffians  from  Western  Missouri;  but  the  Free-State 
people  stood  firm  as  the  Spartans  at  Thermopylae,  and 
returned  blow  for  blow. 

Finally  the  tide  reached  its  zenith  and  the  cohorts 
of  slavery  began  to  waver.  By  the  election  of  1856, 
James  Buchanan,  whose  eyes  were  dim,  succeeded 
Franklin  Pierce  as  President  —  but  the  vote  for  Fre- 
mont, the  Republican  nominee  of  that  year,  indicated 
a  fast  gathering  storm.  The  slogan  of  Republicans  in 


THE  DAWN  OF  LIGHT  17 

that  campaign  was,  Free  speech,  free  press,  free  Kan- 
sas, and  Fremont;  and  the  result  was  sufficient  to  open 
the  eyes  of  all  who  cared  to  see. 

On  the  fourth  day  of  March,  1857,  Mr.  Buchanan 
was  inaugurated  as  President;  and  while  he  slightly 
modified  the  policy  of  his  predecessor,  and  timidly  tried 
to  clip  the  wings  of  the  Proslavery  birds  that  had  been 
flying  high  in  Kansas,  he  failed  utterly  and  ignomini- 
ously.  At  the  beginning  he  surrounded  himself  with 
Cabinet  officers  and  Proslavery  advisers,  most  of  whom 
were  saturated  with  treason  and  already  laying  their 
plans  for  secession. 

After  the  election  of  1856,  the  immigration  to  Kan- 
sas was  largely  from  the  Free  States,  and  soon  the 
prairies  were  dotted  over  with  the  cabins  of  Free- 
State  settlers ;  new  towns  sprang  up  as  if  by  magic,  and 
the  newcomers  were  busy  selecting  claims  on  the  pub- 
lic domain  for  permanent  homes. 

In  the  Fall  of  1857  a  new  Legislature  was  elected 
by  the  Free-State  party  and  new  laws  enacted.  During 
the  years  1858,  1859  immigration  continued  to  pour 
into  the  Territory  and  push  on  to  the  frontier  settle- 
ments, and  new  fields  of  golden  grain  gladdened  the 
hearts  of  the  people.  The  Constitution  we  had  adopted 
and  submitted  to  Congress  was  Republican  in  form, 
and  settled  for  all  time  the  question  as  to  whether  Kan- 
sas should  be  a  Free  or  Slave  State. 

The  year  1860  in  Kansas  was  like  the  dead  calm  be- 
fore a  storm.  Peace  and  quiet  reigned  throughout  the 
Territory.  Every  day  the  sun  shone  brightly,  without 
a  drop  of  rain  from  January  to  January.  All  eyes 
were  on  the  political  storm  then  raging  in  the  States. 
The  political  horizon  was  dark  and  foreboding,  with  an 
admixture  of  purple  clouds  which  occasionally  sent 
forth  forked  streaks  of  lightning.  The  battle  for  free- 
dom having  been  won  in  Kansas,  the  question  of 
slavery  was  transferred  to  the  States  for  final 
determination. 


18  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

LINCOLN'S  ELECTION 

Abraham  Lincoln,  who  had  been  nominated  as  the 
Kepublican  candidate  for  the  Presidency,  stood  reso- 
lutely bearing  aloft  the  banner  of  freedom. 

John  Bell,  an  old-line  Whig,  and  Stephen  A.  Doug- 
las, an  old-line  Democrat,  were  the  nominees  of  their 
respective  parties,  and  stood  for  the  Government  as  it 
was,  not  caring  whether  the  Territories  adopted  or  re- 
jected slavery. 

John  C.  Breckenridge  was  the  standard-bearer  of 
the  Proslavery  people,  who  were  struggling  under  the 
' '  Dred  Scott  ' '  decision,  to  make  slavery  national  and 
freedom  sectional. 

From  start  to  finish,  it  was  a  red-hot  fight,  with 
justice,  humanity,  and  the  heavy  artillery  on  the  Re- 
publican side.  Mr.  Lincoln,  the  grandest  American  of 
them  all,  and  true  as  the  needle  to  the  pole,  was  elected. 
His  election  meant  war  —  and  war  it  was. 

The  rejoicing  in  Kansas  over  the  election  of  Mr.  Lin- 
coln had  scarcely  subsided,  when  further  glad  tidings 
of  joy  were  flashed  over  the  wires  from  Washington, 
announcing  that  Kansas  had  been  admitted  into  the 
Union  as  a  sovereign  State.  This  was  glory  enough, 
because  the  people  had  long  felt  the  injustice  of  tyr- 
anny and  taxation  without  representation. 

Thus  ended  the  stormy  scenes  of  Territorial  days ; 
the  rule  and  misrule  of  heartless  officials.  One  by  one, 
they  packed  their  duds  and  stole  silently  away.  What 
else  they  stole  has  not,  as  yet,  been  fully  revealed.  One 
thing  is  certain:  they  left  the  Territorial  Treasury 
empty.  Another  is  equally  certain:  an  appropriation 
by  Congress  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  the  erection 
of  a  Territorial  building  was  drawn  from  the  Treasury 
at  Washington,  but  no  building  was  erected.  And  still 
another:  the  ballot-boxes  were  stolen  by  Territorial 
officials  and  stuffed  with  fraudulent  votes,  in  order  to 
enable  them  to  certify  the  election  of  Proslavery  men  to 


THE  DAWN  OF  LIGHT  19 

the  State  Legislature.  But  they  are  gone,  most  of  them 
to  the  happy  hunting-grounds ;  and  may  the  good  Lord 
look  with  pity  and  compassion  upon  their  benighted 
souls  and  official  iniquities ! 

STATE  GOVERNMENT 

As  previously  mentioned,  the  State  of  Kansas  was 
admitted  into  the  Union  on  January  29, 1861.  On  Feb- 
ruary 9,  the  Hon.  Charles  Robinson  took  the  oath  of  of- 
fice as  Governor,  and  issued  his  proclamation  directing 
the  members  elected  to  the  first  State  Legislature  to 
assemble  at  Topeka  on  March  26,  1861.  At  the  time 
designated  the  Legislature  convened,  organized,  and 
notified  the  Governor  that  the  two  Houses  were  ready 
to  receive  any  communication  he  had  to  make. 

The  new  State  Government,  which  went  into  opera- 
tion on  February  9,  1861,  was  divided  into  three  sepa- 
rate and  distinct  departments,  namely,  the  Executive, 
the  Legislative,  and  the  Judicial.* 

The  Senate  consisted  of  twenty-five  members  with 
Lieutenant-Governor  J.  P.  Root  as  the  presiding  of- 
ficer, and  John  J.  Ingalls  as  Secretary. 

The  House  of  Representatives  consisted  of  one  hun- 
dred members,  and  elected  W.  W.  Updegraff  as 
Speaker,  D.  B.  Emmert  as  Chief  Clerk,  and  A.  R.  Banks 
as  Assistant. 

After  the  appointment  of  Committees  and  the  re- 
ception of  the  Governor's  Message,  the  next  important 
duty  was  that  of  electing  two  United  States  Senators. 
A  number  of  prominent  gentlemen  from  different  parts 
of  the  State  were  candidates;  and  after  balloting  in 
joint  session  for  two  hours,  James  H.  Lane,  of  Law- 
rence, and  Samuel  C.  Pomeroy,  of  Atchison,  were  de- 
clared elected.  Lane  at  all  times  during  the  balloting 
had  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast ;  but  as  between  Pom- 
eroy and  Marcus  J.  Parrott,  of  Leavenworth,  the  vote 

"See  Appendix. 


20  KANSAS  IN  THE   SIXTIES 

was  close,  and  there  was  doubt  in  the  minds  of  many 
members  as  to  which  one  was  in  fact  elected.  Mr.  Pom- 
eroy,  however,  received  the  certificate  and  that  settled 
the  question.  After  the  election  of  United  States  Sen- 
ators, the  routine  work  of  the  Legislature  moved  along 
in  the  even  tenor  of  its  way. 

It  was  my  good  fortune  to  be  appointed  Chairman 
of  the  Committee  on  Counties  and  County  Lines.  Col- 
onel Colton,  of  Lykins  County,  introduced,  and  had 
referred  to  my  committee,  a  Bill  changing  the  name  of 
that  county  to  Miami.  After  due  consideration  the  Bill 
was  reported  and  passed. 

FORT  SUMTEB  FIEED  UPON  —  PRESIDENT 's  CALL  FOR  TROOPS 

I  was  also  a  member  of  the  Military  Committee, 
which  perhaps  inspired  me  to  higher  military  duties. 
It  was  then  apparent  that  war  was  inevitable,  and  our 
Military  Committee  proceeded  at  once  to  prepare  and 
introduce  in  the  House  a  Bill  providing  for  the  organ- 
ization of  the  State  Militia.  I  had  also  other  measures 
pending  before  the  Legislature,  when  the  stage  from 
Leavenworth  brought  word  that  Fort  Sumter  had  been 
fired  upon.  This  startling  news  set  everybody  on  fire, 
and  thereafter  the  Legislature  had  no  charms  for  me. 

On  April  15,  1861,  President  Lincoln  issued  his  call 
for  75,000  volunteers,  allotting  to  Kansas  two  regi- 
ments of  infantry.  Soon  thereafter  the  Governor  sent 
for  Colonel  E.  B.  Mitchell  and  myself  and  tendered  us 
each  a  commission  to  recruit  a  company  for  the  Second 
Eegiment.  To  Mitchell  was  given  Linn  County  in 
which  to  raise  his  company ;  and  I  had  assigned  to  me 
Anderson  and  Franklin  Counties,  It  is  needless  to  say 
that  we  readily  accepted, 


CHAPTER  III 

OFF  TO  THE  WAK 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SECOND  KANSAS  INFANTRY  —  A  TRIP 

TO    TOPEKA    BEHIND    A    WILD    TEAM MUSTERED    INTO 

U.    S.    SERVICE,    JUNE    22,    1861 EXPEDITION    TO    AND 

SKIRMISH     AT     FORSYTH BATTLE      OF      DUG     SPRINGS 

AUGUST  2,  1861  —  BATTLE  OF  WILSON  *S  CREEK  AUGUST 

10,  1861 BATTLE  OF  SHELBINA REGIMENT  RETURNS 

TO  FORT  LEAVENWORTH  AND  IS  MUSTERED  OUT  OCTOBER 
31,  1861. 

ON  the  tenth  of  May  the  House  granted  me  leave  of 
absence  and  I  immediately  returned  to  Garnett  to 
commence  recruiting.  On  arriving  there,  I  announced 
a  public  meeting  in  Garnett  for  the  following  Saturday, 
and  then  proceeded  to  Ohio  City  and  appointed  a  re- 
cruiting officer  for  Franklin  County.  At  the  meeting 
so  announced,  many  of  the  young  men  from  Anderson 
County,  and  quite  a  number  from  Franklin,  enlisted. 
Speedily  a  full  company  of  volunteer  infantry  was  or- 
ganized by  the  election  of  officers  as  follows : 

Samuel    J.    Crawford        .        .        .  Captain 

John  G.  Lindsay         ....  First  Lieutenant 

A.  R.  Morton  '.  Second  Lieutenant 

Samuel   K.    Cross      ....  Ensign 

On  May  14  the  company,  amid  cheers  and  tears, 
started  from  Garnett  on  its  perilous  journey.  Our  first 
camp  was  at  Ohio  City,  where  the  Franklin  County  boys 
swung  into  line,  and  the  company  received  fatherly  ad- 
vice and  words  of  encouragement  from  the  Hon.  P.  P. 
Elder,  who  at  the  time  was  a  member  of  the  State  Sen- 

21 


22  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

ate.  Not  only  did  we  receive  good  advice  and  words  of 
cheer  from  him,  but  he  tendered  me  the  loan  of  the 
sword  which  his  grandfather  used  in  the  Eevolutionary 
"War.  In  due  time  it  was  returned  to  him  untarnished. 
On  May  15,  by  the  aid  of  transportation  furnished 
by  the  good  people  of  Anderson  and  Franklin  Counties, 
the  company  moved  at  an  early  hour ;  and  on  May  17  it 
reached  Lawrence  and  marched  down  Massachusetts 
Avenue  under  flying  colors  to  the  step  of  thrilling  mu- 
sic— "  The  Girl  I  Left  Behind  Me  "  —  rendered  with 
fife  and  drum  by  Henry  Neal  and  Robt.  Beck.  On  ar- 
riving at  Lawrence,  the  officers  previously  elected  were 
commissioned  by  the  Governor,  and  the  company  was 
immediately  sworn  into  the  service  of  the  State. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  SECOND  KANSAS  INFANTRY 

In  due  time  nine  other  companies  arrived,  and  the 
Second  Kansas  Infantry  was  organized  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  officers  as  follows : 

Kobt.  B.  Mitchell       ....  Colonel 

Charles  W.  Blair        ....  Lieutenant- Colonel 

William   F.    Cloud    .        .        .        .  Major 

Ed.   D.    Thompson     ....  Adjutant 

S.    W.    Eldridge        .        .        .        .  Quartermaster 

A.  B.  Massey Surgeon 

E.   L.    Pattee Assistant  Surgeon 

R.   C.  Brant Chaplain 

The  regimental  officers,  field  and  staff,  having  been 
commissioned,  the  organization  of  the  regiment  was 
completed  by  the  lettering  and  assignment  of  the  sev- 
eral companies  to  their  respective  places  in  the  line.* 

A  TRIP  TO  TOPEKA  BEHIND  A  WILD  TEAM 

While  waiting  for  orders  to  go  to  the  front,  I  visited 
Topeka  to  see  how  the  Legislature  was  behaving,  and 

*See  Appendix  for  roster  of  regimental  officers. 


OFF  TO  THE   WAR  23 

to  help  the  Lawrence  boys  with  their  University  Bill. 
At  that  time  we  had  no  railroads  from  Lawrence  to 
Topeka;  no  telegraph  nor  telephone;  no  airships  nor 
automobiles.  So,  my  friend,  C.  W.  Babcock,  who  was 
deeply  interested  in  having  the  State  University  lo- 
cated at  Lawrence,  drove  out  to  camp  with  a  span  of 
wild  fiery  horses  and  invited  me  to  ride  to  Topeka  with 
him.  I  had  not  as  yet  resigned  my  seat  in  the  Legisla- 
ture, and,  of  course,  had  a  right  to  vote.  Having  some 
other  matters  pending  before  the  Legislature  in  which 
I  was  interested,  I  accepted  his  kind  offer,  and  within 
two  hours  we  rode  into  Topeka. 

Talk  about  fast  driving  —  our  team  fairly  flew.  Mr. 
Babcock  held  the  reins  and  tried  to  hold  the  team  but 
finally  gave  it  up  and  let  them  go.  Fortunately  the 
horses  kept  in  the  road  and  after  climbing  the  hills  and 
leaping  the  bad  crossings  from  Lecompton  to  Tecum- 
seh,  they  began  to  slacken  their  gait,  and  finally  they 
came  down  to  earth  and  gave  Mr.  Babcock  an  oppor- 
tunity to  breathe.  I  was  frightened,  perhaps  as  much 
or  more  than  was  he,  but  being  a  soldier  I  did  not  dare 
tell  him  so.  When  the  danger-line  was  passed  he  rolled 
his  big  black  eyes  around  at  me  and  said,  "  What  do 
you  think  of  that  for  a  spin  ?  "  ' '  Oh, "  I  said, « «  that  's 
nothing,  when  a  fellow  gets  used  to  it.  It  just  suits  me ; 
but  I  have  been  asking  myself  how  you  were  going  to 
get  back  to  Lawrence."  He  replied,  "  We  '11  go  back 
at  night  when  the  fool  horses  can't  see  anything  to 
scare  them. ' '  We  then  drove  on  to  the  hotel,  and  after 
dinner  set  about  to  tell  the  Legislature  what  to  do  and 
how  to  do  it. 

In  the  evening  we  went  to  a  dance,  and  being  at  that 
time  single,  and  consequently  in  possession  of  our  in- 
alienable rights,  we  stayed  late.  It  seemed  as  though 
the  more  our  girls  danced,  the  more  they  wanted  to 
dance.  I  was  anxious  to  be  in  camp  at  Lawrence  the 
next  morning  at  daylight  and  Mr.  Babcock  had  prom- 
ised to  have  me  there.  But  that  did  n  't  count  with  our 


24  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

partners  in  the  ballroom.    "  On  with  the  dance!  ' 
seemed  to  be  the  order  of  the  night. 

At  one  o'clock  the  dance  closed;  at  two  A.  M.  Mr. 
Babcock  and  I  started  from  Topeka  with  our  wild  team 
for  Lawrence.  The  atmosphere  was  lovely  and  the 
stars  shone  bright.  The  horses  went  at  a  steady  gait  of 
about  ten  miles  per  hour  until  within  five  miles  of  Law- 
rence, when,  passing  a  farm-house  they  "  saw  some- 
thing," took  fright,  and  dashed  away  at  full  speed  over 
the  prairie,  heading  straight  toward  a  precipice  and  a 
deep  canyon.  Not  caring  to  go  over  such  a  precipice 
at  that  hour  in  the  morning,  I  leaped  out  of  the  car- 
riage and  that  caused  the  horses  to  circle  at  the  very 
verge  and  turn  suddenly  back  toward  the  road.  In 
turning,  they  upset  the  carriage  and  ran  until  it  was 
scattered  in  fragments  over  the  prairie  and  themselves 
were  badly  crippled. 

We  were  both  slightly  disfigured,  considerably 
frightened,  but  not  seriously  hurt.  When  the  excite- 
ment had  subsided,  Mr.  Babcock  looked  over  toward 
Mount  Oread  and  said,  *  *  It  seems  as  though  these  Ara- 
bian steppers  were  trying  to  make  us  ded-i-cate  the 
State  University  before  it  is  located. ' '  After  arrang- 
ing with  a  young  man  to  bring  the  horses  and  wreck- 
age to  town,  we  rode  in  with  a  farmer  and  told  Mr.  Nor- 
ton, the  owner  of  the  team,  that  we  should  not  want  it 
again  that  day. 

For  a  month  or  so  the  companies  were  kept  busy 
drilling  and  studying  "  The  Art  of  War  in  Europe." 
On  June  19  the  regiment  drew  arms  from  the  State, 
and  on  the  morning  of  the  twentieth  they  started  on  the 
double-quick  for  Kansas  City.  We  crossed  the  Kansas 
River  at  Lawrence,  and  marched  to  Wyandotte,  about 
forty-five  miles,  the  first  day.  The  cause  of  the  sudden- 
ness of  this  hasty  movement  was  a  skirmish  between 
a  company  of  regular  troops  and  a  bunch  of  Rebel 
recruits  near  Independence,  Missouri. 


OFF  TO  THE  WAR  25 

MUSTERED  INTO   U.  S.   SERVICE,   JUNE   22,   1861 

On  the  twenty-second  day  of  June  we  moved  over  to 
Kansas  City,  and  were  mustered  into  the  United  States 
service  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war.  On  June 
30,  the  regiment  was  attached  to  the  command  of  Major 
Sturgis  and  ordered  to  join  General  Lyon  on  the  march 
from  Boonville  to  Springfield,  Missouri.  On  July  1, 
Sturgis  moved  with  his  command  from  Kansas  City 
and  on  July  7,  joined  General  Lyon  at  the  crossing  of 
the  Osage,  eight  miles  west  of  Osceola.  From  there 
General  Lyon  moved  with  his  command  to  Grand 
Prairie,  where  he  was  joined  by  Colonel  Sigel  on  his 
retreat  from  Carthage;  and  then  with  his  combined 
force  —  about  six  thousand  effective  troops  —  General 
Lyon  moved  on  to  Springfield. 

EXPEDITION  TO  AND  SKIRMISH  AT  FORSYTH 

On  July  20,  General  Lyon  ordered  General  Sweeney 
on  an  expedition  over  the  Boston  Mountains  to  For- 
syth,  about  fifty  miles  south  of  Springfield,  with  the 
First  Iowa  and  Second  Kansas  Infantry ;  a  section  of 
Totten's  battery  and  a  battalion  of  the  Fourth 
Cavalry. 

Forsyth  was  a  small  town  on  the  north  bank  of 
White  River  in  Southern  Missouri,  where  a  large 
amount  of  supplies  for  the  Confederate  troops  had 
been  gathered  and  stored.  Captain  Stanley,  with  one 
company  of  the  Second  Kansas  and  two  companies 
of  the  Fourth  Cavalry,  led  the  advance.  When  within 
striking  distance  he  made  a  dash  forward,  captured  the 
town,  all  the  Rebel  stores,  and  a  number  of  prisoners, 
and  drove  a  Rebel  regiment  into  the  hills  and  across 
the  river. 

The  last  four  miles  of  the  march  were  made  by  the 
infantry  and  artillery  at  a  double-quick ;  but  when  we 
arrived,  Stanley  had  finished  the  work  and  was  holding 
the  town,  the  supplies,  and  the  captured  prisoners. 
Nevertheless  the  Second  Kansas  advanced  on  the  town 


26  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

in  line  of  battle  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  sending  a 
few  volleys  into  the  ranks  of  the  water-soaked  regi- 
ment that  had  rallied  on  the  south  bank  of  the  river. 
This  was  our  first  experience  on  the  battlefield,  and  it 
seemed  great  sport,  while  we  were  beyond  the  range 
of  the  enemy's  guns.  The  purpose  of  the  expedition 
being  accomplished,  we  returned  to  Springfield,  and 
found  General  Lyon  and  all  in  camp  actively  preparing 
for  a  great  battle. 

On  the  first  of  August  we  were  again  ordered  to  be 
ready  to  march  with  forty  rounds  of  ammunition  in  our 
cartridge  boxes.  That  looked  like  business,  and  every 
man  was  instructed  to  prepare  himself  accordingly. 
General  Lyon's  scouts  and  outposts  had  kept  him  well 
informed  as  to  the  movements  of  the  enemy.  It  was 
known  that  the  Confederate  generals  —  McCulloch  and 
Price  —  were  concentrating  their  forces  at  Cassville 
and  in  that  vicinity,  with  the  intention  of  attacking 
General  Lyon  at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 

It  was  also  known  that  the  combined  forces  of  Mc- 
Culloch and  Price  outnumbered  Lyon's  army  more  than 
two  to  one ;  and  yet  he  was  left  in  that  remote  part  of 
the  State,  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  from,  the  rail- 
road, with  his  men  on  half-rations,  and  the  terms  of 
enlistment  of  many  of  the  troops  rapidly  expiring.  He 
was  greatly  worried  and  vexed  by  reason  of  such  treat- 
ment from  department  headquarters.  He  had  been 
promised  reinforcements  and  supplies  sufficient  to  en- 
able him  to  hold  Southwest  Missouri  and  protect  the 
lives  and  property  of  the  Union  people  of  that  part  of 
the  State.  But  when  the  enemy  was  advancing  against 
him  in  overwhelming  numbers,  and  when  it  was  too 
late  to  retreat,  he  was  told  that  he  must  take  care  of 
himself. 

General  Lyon  was  a  true  soldier  and  ready  to  do  or 
die  for  his  country  and  the  loyal  people  of  Missouri. 
He  called  a  Council  of  War,  and  notified  his  officers 
of  the  deplorable  situation  and  of  his  determination  to 


OFF  TO  THE  WAR  27 

fight.    They  all  agreed  with  him,  and  the  question  was 
settled. 

BATTLE   OF   DUG  SPEINGS,   AUGUST   2,   1861 

The  enemy  having  advanced  on  the  Cassville  Road 
to  within  twenty-five  miles  of  Springfield,  General 
Lyon,  thinking  it  was  only  General  McCulloeh's  divi- 
sion, moved  with  his  available  force  on  August  1,  in- 
tending to  strike  McCulloch  first  and  Price  afterwards. 
That  night  he  camped  at  Wilson's  Creek  twelve  miles 
from  Springfield.  The  next  morning,  August  2,  he  ad- 
vanced about  six  miles,  when  he  struck  General  Rains  's 
brigade  of  Price's  division,  which  showed  that  Price 
and  McCulloch  had  united  their  forces.  After  a  sharp 
engagement  of  three  hours,  in  which  artillery  was 
freely  used,  the  enemy  was  routed  and  driven  back  on 
McCulloeh's  division  encamped  on  Crane  Creek,  ten 
miles  distant.  The  day  was  intensely  hot  and  the 
thirst  of  the  men  was  unendurable. 

The  Second  Kansas  Infantry  was  advancing  in  line 
of  battle  through  the  brush  on  the  right  of  the  road, 
while  Captain  Fred.  Steele  with  a  battalion  of  Regu- 
lar  infantry  was  on  the  left,  with  Captain  Stanley's 
cavalry  on  his  left,  and  Totten's  battery  on  and  near 
the  road  in  the  centre.  The  enemy  in  Steele 's  front 
charged  his  line,  which  was  falling  back  slowly,  when 
Captain  Stanley  made  a  sabre  charge  and  drove  the 
enemy  in  confusion  from  the  field.  The  Second  Kansas, 
famishing  for  water  and  mad  at  the  sight  of  Steele 's 
battalion  falling  back,  followed  Stanley  without  orders 
until  we  reached  Dug  Springs,  where  the  men  quenched 
their  thirst  to  the  heart's  content.  The  Second  Kan- 
sas was  far  in  advance  of  the  rest  of  the  infantry  and 
artillery,  but  we  held  our  position  until  Stanley  re- 
turned from  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  and  then  went 
into  camp  for  the  night,  three  miles  in  advance  of  the 
main  command. 

The  next  morning  General  Lyon,  with  the  remainder 


28  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

of  his  troops,  came  forward  to  the  springs  and  camped 
in  the  valley  near-by  until  the  morning  of  the  fourth, 
when  he  countermarched  with  his  command  and  re- 
turned to  Springfield,  arriving  there  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  fifth. 

After  the  affair  at  Dug  Springs,  General  McCulloch 
assumed  command  of  all  the  Confederate  forces  in 
Southwest  Missouri,  and  moved  forward  to  Wilson's 
Creek. 

General  Lyon,  in  his  report  to  department  head- 
quarters of  August  4,  1861,  stated  his  forces,  and  con- 
cluded as  follows : 

FIRST   BRIGADE,   MAJOR   STURGIS 

Four  companies  cavalry  ....  250 
Four  companies  First  U.  S.  Infantry  (Plum- 

mer's) 350 

Two  companies  Second  Missouri  Volunteers  .  200 
One  company  artillery  (Captain  Totten's 

battery) 84 


884 

SECOND  BRIGADE,  SIGEI/S 

Third    Missouri     Volunteers        .        .        .  700 

Fifth  Missouri  Volunteers     ....  600 

Second  Artillery  (battery)     ....  120 


1,420 

THIRD  BRIGADE,  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  ANDREWS 

First  Missouri  Volunteers     ....  900 

Four  companies  infantry      ....  300 

One  battery  artillery 64 


1,264 

FOURTH    BRIGADE,   DEFTZLER's 

Two  Kansas  regiments  (First  and  Second)  .        1,400 
First  Iowa  Regiment    (Colonel  Bates)         .  900 


Grand  Total    ......  5,868 


OFF  TO  THE  WAR  29 

I  have  made  every  exertion  to  ascertain  the  enemy's 
forces ;  and  though  this  is  very  difficult,  I  am  satisfied  it  will 
reach  15,000,  and  in  an  attempt  to  surround  and  cut  me  off 
there  may  be  gathered  20,000 ;  most  of  whom  will  be  ill-con- 
ditioned troops,  collected  from  Missouri  and  Arkansas,  with 
such  firearms  as  each  man  may  have,  and  being  mounted, 
have  the  means  of  threatening  and  annoying  my  command. 
In  addition  to  the  above  will  be,  of  the  enemy's  forces,  the 
organized  forces  of  McCulloch,  of  Texas,  supposed  to  be  4,000 
well-armed,  and  prepared  for  effective  service. 

In  fact,  I  am  under  the  painful  necessity  of  retreating, 
and  can  at  most  only  hope  to  make  my  retreat  good.  I  am  in 
too  great  haste  to  explain  at  length  more  fully.  I  have  given 
timely  notice  of  my  danger,  and  can  only  in  the  worst  emer- 
gencies submit  to  them. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

N.  LYON, 
Brigadier-General  Commanding.* 

This  shows  the  deplorable  situation  in  which  Gen- 
eral Lyon  and  his  army  had  been  placed  by  the  political 
Major-General  and  Department  Commander,  John  C. 
Fremont.  Again,  on  the  eve  of  the  bloodiest  battle  of 
the  war,  General  Lyon  wrote  his  last  official  letter  as 
follows : 

SPRINGFIELD,  Mo.,  August  9,  1861. 
GENERAL  : 

I  have  just  received  your  note  of  the  6th  instant  by  spe* 
cial  messenger. 

I  retired  to  this  place,  as  I  have  before  informed  you, 
reaching  here  on  the  5th.  The  enemy  followed  to  within  16 
miles  of  here.  He  has  taken  a  strong  position,  and  is  recruit- 
ing his  supplies  of  horses,  mules,  and  provisions  by  foraging 
into  the  surrounding  country,  his  large  force  of  mounted 
men  enabling  him  to  do  this  without  much  annoyance  from 
me.  I  find  my  position  extremely  embarrassing,  and  am  at 
present  unable  to  determine  whether  I  shall  be  able  to  main- 
tain my  ground  or  be  forced  to  retire.  I  can  resist  any 
attack  from  the  front,  but  if  the  enemy  move  to  surround 
me,  I  must  retire.  I  shall  hold  my  ground  as  long  as  pos- 

*H«bellioH  Kecords,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  48. 


30  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

sible,  though  I  may,  without  knowing  how  far,  endanger  the 
safety  of  my  entire  force,  with  its  valuable  material,  being 
induced  by  the  important  considerations  involved  to  take  this 
step.  The  enemy  yesterday  made  a  show  of  force  about  five 
miles  distant,  and  has  doubtless  a  full  purpose  of  making  an 
attack  upon  me. 

N.  LYON, 
Brigadier-General,  Commanding  S.  W.  Expedition.* 

MAJ.  GEN.  J.  C.  FREMONT, 

Commanding  Department  of  the  West. 

By  this  report  and  letter,  as  will  be  observed,  Gen- 
eral Lyon  was  determined  to  place  the  responsibility 
of  any  disaster  that  might  befall  him  and  his  army, 
where  it  properly  belonged.  Having  done  all  he  could 
to  avert  disaster,  he  turned  his  face  resolutely  toward 
the  enemy  and  gave  the  order,  "  Forward!  ' 

BATTLE   OF   WILSON  *S   CKEEK,  AUGUST  10,   1861 

At  six  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  August  9,  the  com- 
mand broke  camp  at  Springfield  and  marched  in  two 
columns  for  Wilson's  Creek,  where  the  enemy  was  en- 
camped. General  Lyon  commanded  the  main  column, 
composed  of  the  brigades  of  Sturgis,  Andrews,  and 
Deitzler,  in  person,  and  moved  west  four  miles  and 
then  southwest,  so  as  to  strike  the  left-centre  of  the 
enemy's  line  as  camped. 

General  Sigel,  with  his  own  brigade,  moved  out  on 
a  road  leading  south  for  a  short  distance  and  thence 
southwest,  so  as  to  strike  the  enemy's  right-rear.  At 
a  given  signal  they  were  to  open  the  battle  on  both 
flanks  at  daylight,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  they  could 
get  into  position,  and  then  force  the  fighting.  Both 
drove  in  the  Rebel  pickets  and  opened  the  battle  about 
the  same  time. 

The  enemy  had  stood  in  line  of  battle  during  the 
previous  night,  ostensibly  for  the  purpose  of  moving 

*  Eebellion  Records,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  57. 


OFF  TO  THE  WAR  31 

on  Springfield,  but  in  reality  because  they  expected 
to  be  attacked  by  General  Lyon.  General  Price,  with 
his  Missouri  forces,  was 'in  Lyon's  front;  early  in  the 
morning  he  had  broken  ranks,  and  was  eating  break- 
fast when  his  pickets  were  driven  in.  When  the  alarm 
was  given,  his  men  flew  to  arms  and  hastily  formed  a 
line  as  best  they  could. 

General  Lyon  immediately  advanced  with  Captain 
Plummer 's  battalion  of  Regular  infantry,  Major  Oster- 
haus's  battalion  of  Missouri  Volunteers,  and  a  section 
of  Totten's  battery,  and  opened  the  battle.  The  Eebel 
line  fell  back  slowly  through  a  corn-field  and  over  a 
rail  fence,  where  a  stand  was  made  until  reinforce- 
ments arrived.  General  Lyon  then  sent  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Andrews  with  the  First  Missouri  Volunteers 
to  the  support  of  Plummer.  DuBois's  battery  and  the 
First  Kansas  were  speedily  formed  on  the  brow  of  the 
hill  to  the  right  of  Osterhaus  's  battalion,  with  the  First 
Iowa  on  the  right  of  the  First  Kansas;  a  part  of  Tot- 
ten's  battery,  the  Second  Kansas  Infantry,  and  a  bat- 
talion of  Regular  troops  were  stationed  on  an  eleva- 
tion in  the  right-rear  as  a  reserve.  This,  as  I  recollect, 
was  the  formation  of  General  Lyon's  first  line  of  battle. 
General  McCulloch,  with  the  Texas  and  Arkansas 
troops,  was  camped  on  the  right  of  the  Rebel  line  a 
mile  or  so  down  the  creek  from  Price.  Sigel  took  Mc- 
Culloch completely  by  surprise,  and  struck  his  camp 
about  the  same  time  Lyon  opened  on  Price.  At  first 
McCulloch 's  troops  were  panic-stricken,  and  fled  in 
confusion  before  Sigel 's  line ;  but  the  panic  lasted  only 
a  short  time.  Sigel 's  men,  thinking  they  had  gained 
the  victory,  stopped,  broke  ranks,  and  commenced  pil- 
laging the  enemy's  tents.  That  gave  McCulloch 's  reg- 
iments, farther  back,  time  to  form  and  stop  the  stam- 
pede. As  soon  as  that  was  done  McCulloch  moved 
back  and  swept  Sigel  and  his  whole  brigade  from  the 
field,  except  five  pieces  of  artillery  which  were  aban- 
doned, and  three  hundred  men  whom  he  captured. 


32  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

After  this  disgraceful,  inexcusable  blunder,  those 
of  Sigel's  men  that  escaped  took  to  the  woods,  and 
Sigel  and  one  of  his  Colonels  were  back  in  Springfield 
before  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  As  soon  as  Sigel 
and  his  troops  left  the  field,  McCulloch  moved  with  his 
whole  force  to  assist  Price,  whose  line  was  hard  pressed 
from  right  to  left.  He  reached  Price  about  nine  o  'clock 
and  formed  on  his  left,  which  prolonged  their  line  of 
battle  beyond  Lyon's  right. 

To  meet  McCulloch 's  troops  fresh  from  their  sport 
with  Sigel,  General  Lyon  ordered  into  action  his  entire 
reserve.  The  First  Missouri  was  brought  over  from 
the  left  and  stationed  on  the  right  of  the  First  Iowa. 
Totten's  battery  with  a  battalion  of  Regular  infantry 
was  stationed  by  General  Lyon  and  Colonel  Mitchell 
on  the  extreme  right  of  the  new  line  as  formed. 

Previous  to  this,  General  Lyon  had  been  twice 
slightly  wounded  and  his  horse  shot  from  under  him, 
but  he  immediately  remounted  and  was  himself  again. 
When  the  Second  was  moving  by  the  flank  to  its  new 
position  on  the  right,  General  Lyon  passed  within  ten 
paces  of  where  I  was  marching  at  the  head  of  my  com- 
pany, and  joined  Colonel  Mitchell  at  the  head  of  the 
regiment.  They  two  were  leading  straight  toward  a 
thicket  of  underbrush  and  scattering  oak  trees,  when 
a  volley  was  fired  from  the  thicket;  Lyon  was  killed, 
and  Mitchell  wounded. 

The  same  volley  struck  Captain  Tholen's  company 
on  the  flank  and  threw  it  into  confusion.  The  next  two 
companies  (Russell's  and  Mitchell's)  also  swayed  back- 
ward for  a  short  distance.  My  company  came  next; 
and  I,  being  farther  from  the  concealed  enemy  and  hav- 
ing more  time  to  steady  the  men,  wheeled  the  company 
into  line  facing  the  ambuscade  and  sent  a  volley  into 
the  bushes  where  the  enemy  was  concealed.  Captain 
Mitchell  immediately  moved  up  and  formed  on  my 
right,  with  Captain  Russell  on  his  right,  and  then  our 
three  companies  speedily  drove  the  enemy  out  of  the 


OFF   TO   THE   WAR  33 

bushes.  We  fired  over  Lyon  's  body,  and  three  or  four 
of  Captain  Tholen  's  men,  as  they  lay  wounded. 

As  soon  as  the  enemy  was  driven  out  of  the  brush 
we  wheeled  our  companies  into  line  with  the  regiment, 
to  face  a  brigade  of  McCulloch's  troops  advancing  up- 
grade in  our  front.  The  Rebels  having  been  driven  out 
of  the  timber  and  underbrush,  and  our  three  companies 
having  wheeled  back  into  line  with  the  regiment,  Lieu- 
tenant Gustavus  Schreyer,  of  Tholen 's  company,  took 
a  detachment  of  his  men  and  removed  General  Lyon's 
body  and  all  the  wounded  to  the  rear.  Then  Schreyer 
was  stationed  with  a  part  of  Tholen 's  company  at  the 
edge  of  the  timber,  near  where  Lyon  fell,  to  protect 
the  right  flank  of  the  Second  Kansas  as  the  regiment 
stood. 

Within  a  few  minutes  after  these  preliminary  ar- 
rangements on  the  extreme  right  of  the  Federal  line, 
McCulloch's  forces  came  within  range  of  our  guns, 
and  a  fight  to  the  finish  began.  It  was  then  about  half- 
past  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  for  two  hours 
or  more  the  battle  raged  with  terrific  fury.  In  front 
of  the  Second  Kansas,  and  the  same  all  along  our  entire 
new  line,  the  enemy  advanced  to  within  two  hundred 
yards,  when  the  order  to  fire  was  given,  followed  im- 
mediately by  the  usual  order  to  load  and  fire  at  will. 
One  section  of  Totten's  battery  was  stationed  on  an 
elevation  to  the  right-rear  of  the  Second  Kansas  and 
the  other  two  sections  along  the  line  farther  to  the 
left,  and  our  whole  line,  with  Totten's  battery,  opened 
fire  on  the  advancing  Rebel  line  about  the  same  time. 

I  do  not  know  about  the  line  in  front  of  the  regi- 
ments and  artillery  on  our  left,  but  in  front  of  the 
Second  Kansas  and  the  section  of  Totten's  battery  on 
our  right,  the  Rebel  line  continued  to  advance  under 
a  galling  fire  of  musketry  and  canister  to  within  about 
one  hundred  steps,  when  they  came  to  a  stand-still. 
Then  for  about  three-quarters  of  an  hour  it  was  give 
and  take. 


34  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

"  Lay  on  McDuff! 
And  damned  be  him  that  first  cries,  '  Hold,  enough!  ' 

The  sound  of  musketry  and  the  roar  of  the  cannon, 
mingling  and  commingling  in  the  air,  was  music  to  our 
ears.  But  the  sharp  reports  and  shrieks  from  the 
enemy's  guns,  as  their  shells  went  crashing  through 
the  tree  tops  and  often  bursting  over  our  heads,  were 
the  reverse  of  music;  at  least  they  had  no  charms 
for  the  Second  Kansas.  Nevertheless  we  were  there 
to  do  our  duty,  and  we  did  it  without  flinching. 

Both  lines  were  comparatively  fresh  and  full  of 
fight.  It  was  then  simply  a  question  of  real  courage, 
accurate  shooting,  and  powers  of  endurance.  The 
Second  Kansas  stood  like  a  wall  of  adamant  and  hurled 
its  missiles  of  death  with  defiance  into  the  ranks  of 
the  enemy.  Officers  and  soldiers  alike  seemed  to  real- 
ize that  it  was  then  or  never.  Steadily  the  battle  went 
on,  and  surely  the  lines  were  melting  away. 

In  the  heat  of  this  engagement  a  Eebel  officer,  with 
a  detachment  of  cavalry,  dashed  against  our  right 
flank  but  received  a  deadly  volley  from  Lieutenant 
Schreyer  's  company  which  scattered  them  in  all  direc- 
tions through  the  timber  in  their  rear.  In  the  confu- 
sion that  followed,  the  commanding  officer  lost  con- 
trol of  himself,  or  his  horse,  and  was  carried  at  full 
speed  to  the  rear  of  Captain  Russell's  company,  where 
both  he  and  his  horse  were  killed,  as  he  whirled  to  make 
his  escape. 

Soon  after  this  episode  the  Rebel  line  in  our  front 
began  to  waver,  and  that  was  followed  by  a  precipitate 
retreat  beyond  the  range  of  our  guns.  The  Federal 
line  stood  firm  and  awaited  developments.  It  was  ap- 
parent that  the  enemy  was  bringing  up  his  reserves 
and  re-forming  for  another  engagement.  While  wait- 
ing, we  removed  our  dead  and  wounded  to  the  rear  and 
a  new  supply  of  ammunition  was  distributed. 

Meantime  the  left  of  our  line  was  strengthened  by 


OFF  TO  THE  WAR  35 

the  addition  of  infantry  that  had  not  participated  in 
the  previous  engagement,  and  by  changing  the  position 
of  DuBois  's  battery.  Another  section  of  Totten  's  bat- 
tery was  also  transferred  from  the  left  to  the  right. 
Major  Sturgis  was  then  supposed  to  be  in  command, 
but  Gordon  Granger  was  in  the  saddle  and  seemed  to 
me  to  be  the  leading  spirit.  Our  line  as  rearranged 
was  in  perfect  order  to  meet  whatever  might  be 
brought  against  it.  We  had  not  long  to  wait. 

The  Rebel  line  was  soon  seen  advancing  over  the 
same  ground,  and  apparently  in  the  same  order  in 
which  it  had  previously  advanced.  Our  line  impa- 
tiently awaited  their  coming.  It  required  considerable 
attention  on  the  part  of  line  officers  in  the  Second  to 
keep  the  men  from  firing  before  the  Rebels  were  within 
suitable  range.  Steadily  the  Rebel  line  advanced,  and 
as  soon  as  it  reached  the  open  ground  in  front,  Totten 's 
battery  spoke  with  no  uncertain  sound,  and  DuBois 's 
immediately  followed.  About  the  same  time  a  Rebel 
battery  away  in  the  rear  opened  on  the  Second  Kansas 
with  shell  which  tore  through  the  tops  of  the  scrub 
oak-trees  over  our  heads. 

Finally  the  Rebel  line  came  within  range  of  our 
rifles  and  muskets,  when  a  battle  to  the  finish,  the 
bloodiest  engagement  of  the  day,  began.  As  before, 
they  advanced  to  within  close  range,  and  then  both  lines 
settled  down  to  their  bloody  work.  It  was  a  square 
open  field  fight,  with  no  place  for  shirks  or  cowards. 
For  an  hour  it  was  crash,  crash,  crash,  with  men  falling 
dead  and  wounded  all  along  the  line.  Finally,  as  in  the 
previous  engagement,  the  Rebel  line  broke  and  fled  in 
confusion  to  the  'rear,  leaving  their  dead  and  wounded 
on  the  field. 

It  was  now  about  half-past  eleven  o'clock;  and  after 
remaining  in  line  for  half  an  hour  or  more,  when  there 
was  not  a  Rebel  to  be  seen  or  heard  anywhere  on  the 
battlefield,  except  their  wounded,  the  Second  re- 
ceived orders  to  fall  back  to  where  Major  Sturgis  was 


36  KANSAS  IN  THE   SIXTIES 

concentrating  the  troops  preparatory  to  a  retreat 
back  to  Springfield.  We  had  fired  the  last  shot,  broken 
the  enemy's  lines,  driven  him  from  the  field  in 
disorder,  and  remained  in  line  at  the  front  for  half 
an  hour,  and  we  could  not  see  the  necessity  for  re- 
treating. 

Had  Major  Sturgis  advanced  his  line,  which  stood 
firm  when  the  Eebels  broke  and  fled,  and  turned  his 
cavalry  loose  on  their  rear,  our  victory  would  have 
been  complete.  When  we  left  the  field,  the  road  from 
there  to  Crane  Creek,  twenty  miles  distant,  was  lined 
with  fleeing  Eebels  and  it  was  their  rear  guard  that 
we  last  fought  and  defeated.  But  when  McCulloch 
learned  that  Sturgis  was  retreating,  he  naturally  re- 
turned with  his  rear  guard  and  claimed  the  credit  of 
victory.  By  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  day  of 
the  battle,  his  retreating  troops  began  to  pass  Cass- 
ville,  Missouri,  forty  miles  south  of  the  battlefield,  and 
the  stream  of  "  mad  warriors  "  did  not  cease  until 
after  daylight  the  next  morning  —  if  the  good  people 
of  Cassville  tell  the  truth. 

When  ordered  to  countermarch  and  abandon  a 
dearly  won  field,  the  Federal  troops  strung  out  and 
sauntered  along  the  road,  on  back  to  Springfield,  some 
swearing  and  some  repeating  the  old  adage, 

"  He  who  fights  and  runs  away 
May  live  to  fight  another  day." 

Our  regiments  and  batteries  arrived  at  Springfield  all 
along  from  four  to  six  o  'clock  in  the  evening,  and  were 
ordered  to  be  ready  to  continue  the  retreat  at  two 
o  'clock  the  next  morning. 

When  General  Lyon's  gallant  and  victorious  army 
reached  Springfield,  we  found  Sigel  ready  to  assume 
command  and  conduct  a  masterly  retreat  to  Eolla,  Mis- 
souri. For  full  particulars  of  this  retreat  I  must  refer 
the  reader  to  the  report  of  Major  J.  M.  Schofield,  who 


OFF  TO  THE  WAR  37 

was  Acting  Adjutant-General  when  General  Lyon  fell.* 
But  to  those  who  do  not  care  to  make  this  reference  it 
is  sufficient,  perhaps,  to  say  that  the  skill  and  general- 
ship displayed  by  Sigel  were  in  keeping  with  his  mas- 
terly strokes  of  death  and  desolation  inflicted  on  the 
enemy  at  Wilson's  Creek. 

On  August  18  the  command  reached  Rolla,  and  on 
the  nineteenth  I  conveyed  the  wounded  of  the  Second 
Kansas  by  rail  to  the  hospital  in  St.  Louis.  On  the 
twentieth  I  returned  to  Rolla,  and  in  the  absence  of  the 
field  officers,  assumed  command  of  the  regiment.  On 
the  twenty-fifth  I  moved  to  St.  Louis  and  encamped  in 
one  of  the  city  parks. 

On  the  first  of  September  Colonel  Blair  resumed 
command  of  the  regiment  and  moved  by  boat  to  Han- 
nibal, Missouri,  and  thence  by  rail  to  Shelbina.  On 
the  third  the  regiment  accompanied  the  Third  Iowa  In- 
fantry on  a  raid  to  Paris,  Missouri,  and  on  the  fourth 
fought  what  some  call  the  battle  of  Shelbina. 

BATTLE   OF   SHELBINA 

The  command,  consisting  of  the  Second  Kansas  In- 
fantry—  about  four  hundred  effective  men  —  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Blair,  and  the  Third 
Iowa  Infantry  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Will- 
iams, having  returned  from  Paris  and  encamped  in  the 
village  of  Shelbina,  was  attacked  early  on  the  morning 
of  the  fourth  by  General  Green  with  apparently  about 
fifteen  hundred  mounted  men  and  two  pieces  of  artil- 
lery. Blair  and  Williams  had  neither  cavalry  nor  artil- 
lery and  consequently  labored  under  a  disadvantage. 

Green  planted  his  artillery  a  half-mile  distant  and 
commenced  shelling  our  line  and  the  village.  His  cav- 
alry was  formed  about  the  same  distance  from  our  line, 
so  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  reach  him.  He  first 
opened  with  his  artillery  from  the  edge  of  a  body  of 

*See  Eebellion  Records,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  60. 


38  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

timber  to  the  southeast,  when  Major  Cloud  started  with 
the  Second  on  the  double-quick  to  try  to  capture  the 
guns.  Before  he  had  covered  half  the  distance,  Green 
limbered  up  and  in  a  few  minutes  opened  fire  from  the 
southwest ;  whereupon  I  was  sent  with  three  companies 
over  an  open  field  to  try  to  reach  him  in  that  direction. 

At  first  he  turned  his  guns  on  my  battalion  but  his 
shells  went  wild  and  no  one  was  hurt.  I  moved  on, 
until  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  his  cavalry  line  and 
guns ;  but  both  quickly  disappeared  and  in  a  very  short 
time  bobbed  up  on  another  part  of  the  field.  Thus  he 
played  hide-and-seek  for  about  eight  hours,  shelling 
the  camp  and  village  between  drinks.  Never  once  did 
he  permit  our  infantry  to  get  within  rifle  shot  of  his 
guns  or  mounted  troops. 

One  of  his  shells  by  accident  exploded  near  our  line 
and  wounded  Captain  McClure  in  the  foot,  which  was 
doubtless  the  sum  total  of  casualties  on  both  sides. 
During  this  sanguinary  conflict,  Southern  chivalry  was 
stretched  to  the  limit ;  and  to  have  prolonged  the  agony 
would  have  been  cruelty  to  Green's  animals  and 
braves,  who  had  been  in  the  saddle  for  eight  hours 
without  food  or  water. 

So,  viewing  the  situation  from  the  standpoint  of 
the  humanitarian,  Colonels  Williams  and  Blair,  when 
the  four  o  'clock  train  came  along,  put  their  troops  and 
baggage  aboard,  and  rode  over  to  Hudson.  They  found 
the  commanding  general  furiously  out  of  humor  be- 
cause the  Iowa  and  Kansas  boys,  on  foot,  could  not 
catch  Green's  command  on  horseback. 

On  September  6  the  regiment  took  passage  for  St. 
Joseph,  and  on  the  seventh  arrived  in  Leavenworth, 
somewhat  disfigured  but  still  in  the  ring.  On  the 
twenty-first  of  September  the  regiment  was  ordered 
by  General  Fremont  to  reinforce  Colonel  Mulligan  at 
Lexington,  and  immediately  took  passage  on  the 
steamer  West  Wind  for  the  scene  of  action,  but  arrived 
too  late  to  be  of  assistance. 


OFF  TO  THE  WAR  39 

General  Price  had  surrounded  Lexington  with  six- 
teen thousand  men,  so  it  was  impossible  to  reach  Mul- 
ligan. He  surrendered  before  our  boat  reached  Wyan- 
dotte.  Mulligan  should  have  been  reinforced  by  Gen- 
erals Pope,  Sturgis,  Jeff.  C.  Davis,  and  Jas.  H.  Lane, 
all  of  whom  were  within  supporting  distance  before 
General  Price  laid  siege  to  Lexington. 

REGIMENT   RETURNS   TO   FORT  LEAVENWORTH   AND  IS   MUS- 
TERED OUT,  OCTOBER  31,  1861 

The  Second  Kansas  remained  at  Wyandotte  until 
it  was  known  that  Price  was  not  going  to  attack  Kan- 
sas City,  and  then  returned  to  Fort  Leavenworth  to  be 
reorganized  as  a  cavalry  regiment. 

On  October  31,  1861,  all  the  regiment  was  mustered 
out,  except  Major  W.  F.  Cloud  and  myself,  who  were 
retained  in  the  service  by  an  order  from  the  Secretary 
of  War  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  the  Second  Kan- 
sas Cavalry. 

From  the  fourteenth  day  of  May  to  the  thirty-first 
day  of  October,  1861,  the  Second  Kansas  Infantry  was 
in  the  field,  "We  marched  through  Missouri,  partici- 
pated in  four  battles,  and  made  a  record  of  which  every 
officer  and  soldier  in  the  regiment  has  a  right  to  feel 
proud. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE    SECOND   KANSAS   CAVALBY 

TKEACHERY  OF  U.  S.  OFFICERS  IN  TEXAS  AND  NEW  MEXICO  - 
GENERAL    SIBLEY's    RETREAT    AND    REMARKABLE    REPORT 

—  EXPEDITION   TO   NEW   MEXICO PURSUIT   OF    NAVAJO 

INDIANS RETURN  TO  FORT  LARNED INDIAN  COUNCIL. 

DURING  the  Fall  and  Winter  of  1861-62  Major 
Cloud  and  I  set  about  to  recruit  and  organize  the 
Second  Kansas  Cavalry,  as  authorized  and  directed  by 
the  War  Department.  On  March  27,  1862,  the  organ- 
ization was  completed  by  the  assignment  of  companies 
and  parts  of  companies,  recruited  for  other  regiments, 
to  the  Second.  When  it  was  first  organized,  Robt.  B. 
Mitchell  was  appointed  Colonel,  but  was  soon  there- 
after promoted  to  the  rank  of  a  brigadier-general.* 
The  Second  Kansas  Cavalry  was  organized  with 
about  seven  hundred  enlisted  men,  as  brave,  daring, 
gallant,  and  true  as  ever  wore  spurs.  On  April  20  the 
regiment  broke  camp  near  Kansas  City  and  moved  en 
route  for  Fort  Riley,  halting  at  Lawrence  and  Topeka 
a  few  days  for  dress  parade  and  display,  and  finally 
arrived  at  its  destination  on  the  fourth  of  May.  About 
the  same  time  a  number  of  other  regiments  arrived  at 
Fort  Riley  and  reported  to  General  Mitchell,  who  had 
been  ordered  to  New  Mexico  to  look  after  the  Confed- 
erates operating  in  that  Territory. 

TREACHERY  OF  U.   S.   OFFICERS  IN  TEXAS  AND  NEW  MEXICO 

When  the  Civil  War  broke  out,  a  large  number  of 
the  officers  of  the  U.  S.  Army  and  Navy,  being  from  the 
Southern  States,  resigned  to  enter  the  Confederate 

*See  Appendix  for  roster  of  regimental  officers. 

40 


SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY  41 

service.  Others,  not  satisfied  to  resign  like  gentlemen 
and  go  their  way,  held  on  to  their  commissions,  while 
their  uniforms  were  reeking  with  treason,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  betraying  loyal  soldiers  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy  and  robbing  the  Government  of  property  and 
munitions  of  war  which  had  been  entrusted  to  their 
care.  To  this  latter  class  belonged  Major  H.  H.  Sibley, 
of  the  First  Dragoons,  and  Major  Isaac  Lynde  of  the 
Seventh  Infantry.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war  both 
of  these  traitors  held  important  commands  in  New 
Mexico  and  Arizona. 

Lynde,  before  he  was  dismissed  from  the  service  by 
direction  of  President  Lincoln,  on  November  25,  1861, 
succeeded  in  turning  over  to  an  inferior  force  of  Texas 
Militia,  Forts  Fillmore  and  Craig,  a  vast  amount  of 
Government  stores ;  arms,  ammunition,  artillery,  trans- 
portation, mules,  cavalry  horses,  and  five  hundred 
soldiers  as  prisoners. 

Major  Sibley,  after  doing  all  he  could  to  demoralize 
the  army  and  injure  the  Government  that  had  fed, 
clothed,  and  educated  him,  finally  resigned,  went  South, 
and  was  appointed  a  Confederate  brigadier-general. 
On  June  12  he  wrote  Colonel  Loriiig  from  El  Paso, 
telling  him  that  he  had  resigned  and  was  going  to  San 
Antonio  to  raise  a  brigade  and  then  return  to  execute 
movements  "  from  this  direction,  which  I  am  not  at 
liberty  to  disclose."  In  his  letter  to  Loring,  his  deep 
regret  was  that  he  had  not  marched  his  whole  com- 
mand of  U.  S.  troops  to  San  Antonio,  because  as  he 
says,  "  I  am  satisfied  now  of  the  disaffection  of  the 
rank  and  file  in  New  Mexico." 

If  the  rank  and  file  of  the  U.  S.  troops  in  New  Mex- 
ico were  disaffected  —  in  other  words,  disloyal  —  why 
did  he  leave  them  and  ride  six  hundred  miles  by  stage 
to  San  Antonio  to  raise  a  brigade  of  Texas  troops  to 
bring  back,  and  then  move  in  a  direction  which  he  was 
"  not  at  liberty  to  disclose  "?  The  truth  is,  the  troops 
in  New  Mexico  were  loyal  to  a  man;  and  also  the 


42  KANSAS   IN   THE  SIXTIES 

officers,  except  those  of  higher  rank  and  a  few  others 
from  the  South  who  had  been  promised  promotion  in 
the  Eebel  army. 

So  Major  Sibley  went  alone  in  the  stage  to  San 
Antonio  and  thence  to  Richmond  to  get  his  promised 
promotion.  For  his  treason  and  the  dirty  work  he  had 
done  for  the  Confederacy,  he  was  promptly  appointed 
a  brigadier-general  by  Jefferson  Davis  and  sent  back 
to  New  Mexico  to  capture  the  remainder  of  the  forts, 
troops,  and  Government  property  therein. 

The  Governor  of  Texas  furnished  him  with  three 
small  regiments  of  green  troops  for  his  perilous  ex- 
pedition. They  were  immediately  started  on  their 
broncos  for  El  Paso,  but  how  many  arrived  at  their 
destination  does  not  appear  in  the  Rebellion  Records. 
The  major,  now  a  general  of  note,  returned  to  El  Paso 
by  stage.  He  was  busy  planning  his  expedition  up  the 
Rio  Grande  to  Santa  Fe  and  Fort  Union  while  his 
troops  were  en  route.  Finally  they  arrived ;  and  after 
considerable  delay,  and  much  quarrelling,  bickering, 
and  fault-finding  among  themselves,  the  motley  crowd 
moved.  The  rabble  were  armed  with  horse  pistols, 
flint-lock  muskets,  shotguns,  squirrel  rifles,  and  bowie- 
knives.  By  the  time  they  reached  Albuquerque  about 
half  the  men  had  lost  their  broncos,  and  the  other  half 
were  barefooted.  They  looted  all  the  stores  and  private 
residences,  in  villages  and  the  country  on  both  sides 
of  the  river,  from  El  Paso  to  Albuquerque.  They  sub- 
sisted almost  entirely,  while  in  New  Mexico,  on  jack 
rabbits  and  stolen  Mexican  sheep. 

GENEKAL   SIBLEY 's  BETREAT  AND   EEMAKKABLE  KEPOBT 

From  Albuquerque  General  Sibley  started  his 
troops  out  under  the  command  of  one  of  his  colonels  to 
capture  Fort  Union,  but  when  they  reached  Apache 
Canyon  in  the  Glorietta  Mountains,  some  forty  miles 
from  Albuquerque,  they  were  met  by  Colonel  Slough 
with  Regular  and  Colorado  troops  and  driven  back 


SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY  43 

to  Santa  Fe,  after  losing  their  entire  baggage-train, 
ammunition,  and  supplies.  These  were  captured  in  a 
skirmish  and  burned  by  Major  Chivington  and  his 
command  of  Regulars  and  Colorado  Volunteers.  From 
Santa  Fe  they  retreated  back  to  Albuquerque,  where 
General  Sibley  awaited  their  coming. 

Meantime  General  Canby,  commanding  the  Union 
forces  in  New  Mexico,  was  advancing  on  Albuquerque 
with  his  troops.  General  Sibley  and  his  Texas  outfit 
abandoned  the  remainder  of  their  transportation, 
crossed  the  Eio  Grande  by  the  light  of  tallow  candles 
and  fled  to  the  mountains  west  of  the  river.  In  his 
subsequent  report  to  the  Adjutant  General  at  Rich- 
mond, he  said  he  knew  it  would  be  impossible  for  Gen- 
eral Canby  to  find  him  there.  After  wandering 
through  the  dark  canyons  for  ten  days,  with  his  men 
almost  naked  and  on  the  verge  of  starvation,  General 
Sibley  finally  struck  a  trail  and  eventually  turned  up 
serenely  at  Fort  Bliss,  Texas. 

His  report  of  the  expedition,  as  published  in  the 
Rebellion  Records,  is  a  wonder  to  behold.  His  match- 
less veterans,  because  of  their  superior  courage  and 
skill,  swept  everything  before  them  and  left  nary  Fed- 
eral to  tell  the  tale.  His  valiant  army  was  literally 
smothered  with  supplies, —  arms,  ammunition,  provi- 
sions, and  clothing, —  which  fell  into  their  hands  as  if 
by  magic.  His  little  army  —  parts  of  three  Texas  reg- 
iments—  according  to  Sibley 's  report,  would  swallow 
up  whole  brigades  of  our  troops  without  salt  or 
vinegar. 

When  he  began  writing  his  report  he  was  evidently 
overjoyed  by  reason  of  his  miraculous  escape  from  the 
mountains.  But  before  he  got  through,  the  disasters 
of  his  campaign  and  the  clamor  of  his  suffering  sol- 
diers loomed  up  before  him  and  brought  out  some 
wholesome  truths.  He  admits  the  failure  of  his  expedi- 
tion and  the  loss  of  all  his  transportation,  mules,  and 
wagons,  ammunition,  baggage,  blankets,  and  supplies. 


44  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

He  admits  having  been  checked  in  his  advance  and 
driven  into  the  mountains,  where  he  and  his  troops 
could  not  be  found. 

He  says  he  was  furnished  only  one  thousand  dol- 
lars to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  expedition ;  and  again 
he  says  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico  is  not  worth  a 
quarter  of  the  blood  and  treasure  expended  in  its  con- 
quest. He  does  not  admit  having  lost  any  men,  and 
if  he  expended  only  one  thousand  dollars  of  Confed- 
erate money,  his  estimate  of  the  value  of  New  Mexico 
to  the  Confederacy  was  certainly  modest;  especially 
since,  as  he  says,  he  had  *  *  determined,  as  good  policy, 
to  encourage  private  enterprise  against  the  Navajo 
and  Apache  Indians  by  legalizing  the  enslaving  of 
them." 

In  concluding  this  remarkable  report,  General  Sib- 
ley  says: 

As  for  the  results  of  the  campaign,  I  have  only  to  say 
that  we  have  beaten  the  enemy  in  every  encounter  and 
against  large  odds;  that  from  being  the  worst  armed,  my 
forces  are  now  the  best  armed  in  the  country.  We  reached 
this  point  last  Winter  in  rags  and  blankets.  The  army 
is  now  well  clad  and  well  supplied  in  other  respects.  The 
entire  campaign  has  been  prosecuted  without  a  dollar  in  the 
quartermaster's  department,  Captain  Harrison  not  having 
yet  reached  this  place.  But,  sir,  I  cannot  speak  encour- 
agingly for  the  future,  my  troops  having  manifested  a 
dogged,  irreconcilable  detestation  of  the  counfry  and  the 
people.  They  have  endured  much,  suffered  much,  and  cheer- 
fully; but  the  prevailing  discontent,  backed  up  by  the  dis- 
tinguished valor  displayed  on  every  field,  entitles  them  to 
marked  consideration  and  indulgence. 

These  considerations,  in  connection  with  the  scant  sup- 
ply of  provisions  and  the  disposition  of  our  own  citizens  in 
this  section  to  depreciate  our  currency,  may  determine  me, 
without  waiting  for  instruction,  to  move  by  slow  marches 
down  the  country,  both  for  the  purpose  of  remounting  and 
recruiting  our  thinned  ranks. 

If  that  rabble  of  ragged,  uncivilized  Texas  militia 


SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY  45 

had  beaten  our  troops  in  every  encounter  and  were  well 
armed  and  supplied  in  every  respect,  why  did  they 
permit  our  folks  to  capture  their  transportation,  de- 
stroy their  ammunition,  and  drive  them  into  the  moun- 
tains, where  Sibley  says,  "  the  route  was  a  difficult  and 
most  hazardous  one,  both  in  respect  to  its  practicabil- 
ity and  supply  of  water.  Descents  into  and  ascents  out 
of  the  deepest  canyons,  which  a  single  horseman  would 
have  sought  for  miles  to  avoid,  were  undertaken  and 
accomplished."  Then  why  all  this  hazardous  under- 
taking, if  they  had  "  beaten  the  enemy  in  every  en- 
counter and  against  large  odds  ' '  I 

The  truth  is  they  were  drubbed  to  a  frazzle;  and 
when  they  returned  to  Fort  Bliss,  they  were  in  a  state 
of  mutiny  and  determined  to  go  home.  They  were  not 
only  clamoring  to  go  home,  but  they  did  go,  and  that 
was  the  last  seen  or  heard  of  General  Sibley  and  his 
invincible  army  during  the  Civil  War. 

Sibley  and  his  invaders  having  been  stripped  of 
their  horses,  mules,  stolen  property,  transportation, 
ammunition,  bedding,  and  everything  they  had  stolen  or 
brought  with  them,  except  the  rags  they  wore  and 
the  shotguns  they  carried,  and  then  driven  through 
the  wilds  of  the  mountains  and  dark  canyons  to  parts 
unknown,  General  Mitchell's  brigade,  which  had  as- 
sembled at  Fort  Riley  in  May  en  route  to  New  Mexico 
(except  the  Second  Kansas  Cavalry),  was  ordered  to 
Tennessee. 

EXPEDITION  TO  NEW  MEXICO 

Waiting  at  Fort  Riley  to  accompany  Mitchell's  ex- 
pedition to  New  Mexico,  were  a  large  train  of  Gov- 
ernment supplies  for  the  troops  and  forts,  and  also 
a  number  of  army  officers  seeking  to  join  their  regi- 
ments in  that  Territory.  As  an  escort  for  this  train 
and  the  army  officers,  Major  Fisk,  with  three  com- 
panies of  the  Second  —  A,  D,  and  C  —  was  detailed. 
With  his  command  the  Major  moved  from  Fort  Riley 


46  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

on  the  twenty-second  day  of  May,  and  arrived  at  Fort 
Union,  New  Mexico,  June  22,  1862.  I  accompanied 
the  expedition,  and  when  we  reached  the  plains  on  the 
old  Santa  Fe  trail,  we  found  the  wild  Indians  on  the 
war-path.  At  Fort  Larned  the  Major  left  one  com- 
pany—  C,  Captain  Whittenhall  —  to  help  to  garrison 
the  post. 

When  we  reached  Bent's  Fort  in  Colorado  we  found 
the  Arkansas  Eiver  at  the  crossing  barely  fordable. 
The  snow  in  the  mountains  was  melting,  and  the  river 
had  swollen  to  a  deep,  swift  current,  which  must  be 
forded  then  or  not  for  a  month,  because  the  river  was 
slowly  rising.  Colonel  Howe,  of  the  Third  Cavalry, 
was  one  of  the  officers  travelling  with  the  expedition, 
and  having  forded  the  treacherous  river  at  that  cross- 
ing many  times,  Major  Fisk  permitted  him  to  assume 
command  and  give  directions. 

In  crossing,  several  of  the  wagons  went  down  to  the 
axle  in  quicksand  and  it  took  many  mules  to  pull  them 
out;  also  some  of  the  carriages  not  only  went  down 
but  turned  over  in  the  middle  of  the  stream,  making  it 
necessary  for  their  occupants  to  swim  for  an  island 
farther  down.  Whether  Colonel  Howe's  carriage 
turned  over,  I  do  not  recollect,  but  at  any  rate,  by  the 
time  the  train  and  troops  were  all  safely  over,  the 
colonel  was  in  a  wild  rage.  After  exhausting  his  vo- 
cabulary, and  making  himself  as  ridiculous  as  when  he 
was  placed  in  arrest  for  cowardice  at  the  battle  of  Ash 
Hollow,  he  concluded  his  remarks  by  placing  Major 
Fisk  in  arrest  and  informing  me  that  I  was  in  command. 

The  colonel  was  a  noted  character  in  the  old  army. 
He  had  been  court-martialled  under  almost  every  Ar- 
ticle of  War,  but  that  made  no  difference  with  him.  He 
was  deathly  afraid  of  volunteers,  and  on  one  occasion 
begged  me  not  to  allow  them  to  roll  his  ambulance  into 
the  river  when  he  was  asleep. 

From  the  Arkansas  crossing,  the  command  moved 
by  way  of  Trinidad  and  across  the  Eaton  Mountains 


SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY  47 

to  Fort  Union.  Our  line  of  march  from  Fort  Riley  was 
over  an  untravelled  road  to  the  Arkansas  River  and 
thence  along  the  old  Santa  Fe  Trail  over  the  ground 
where  many  prosperous  towns,  cities,  fields,  and  farms 
now  stand.  The  long  dreary  journey  was  often  en- 
livened by  the  sight  of  vast  herds  of  buffalo,  deer,  and 
antelope,  and  by  prowling  wolves,  scattered  over  the 
limitless  plains.  Occasionally  a  band  of  hostile  In- 
dians would  be  seen  in  the  distance,  but  we  were  not 
disturbed  by  them  on  our  outward  journey. 

PURSUIT  OF  NAVAJO  INDIANS 

The  day  we  arrived  at  Fort  Union  at  the  end  of 
a  continuous  march  of  over  seven  hundred  miles,  the 
Navajo  Indians  were  at  their  old  game  over  on  the 
Moro  Eiver,  killing  Mexican  sheep-herders  and  driv- 
ing off  the  flocks.  The  next  morning  I  took  one  hun- 
dred men  with  ten  days'  rations,  and  went  in  pursuit. 
Before  I  reached  the  field  of  action,  the  nomads  had 
finished  their  work  and  headed,  with  their  captured 
flocks,  for  the  Moro  Mountains.  They  had  a  part  of  a 
day  and  one  night  the  start  of  me,  and  I  had  tired  men 
and  horses ;  but  we  pushed  on  through  the  foothills  as 
rapidly  as  possible,  until  we  overtook  the  flocks.  On 
our  approach  they  had  been  abandoned  by  the  Indians, 
who  were  then  fleeing  for  the  canyons  in  mountains 
piled  up  on  top  of  mountains. 

But  once  did  we  get  sight  of  the  noble  scoundrels, 
and  then  they  were  beyond  the  range  of  our  guns.  We 
followed  them  for  two  days  through  a  wild  mountain- 
ous region,  in  which  nobody  but  a  fugitive  from  justice 
or  a  Navajo  sheep-thief  would  think  of  living.  On  the 
twenty-seventh  of  June  we  returned  to  Fort  Union  and 
commenced  recruiting  our  horses  for  the  return  trip 
to  Kansas. 

While  at  Fort  Union,  a  number  of  officers  rode  to 
the  top  of  an  extinct  volcano,  which  was  quite  interest- 
ing. In  view  of  the  surroundings  and  the  wretched 


48  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

condition  of  the  people,  most  of  the  officers  seemed  to 
think  that  the  volcano  had  ceased  active  operations  a 
few  centuries  too  soon.  On  July  5  we  folded  our  tents 
and  started  on  the  return  trip  to  Kansas  and  the  seat 
of  war. 

From  Fort  Union  we  marched  to  Trinidad,  Colo- 
rado, where  we  encountered  a  sand-storm,  the  like  of 
which  no  one  of  us  had  ever  before  witnessed.  Under 
a  heavy  gale  the  atmosphere  for  two  hours  was  dark- 
ened with  light  fine  sand,  so  dense  that  the  men  and  an- 
imals breathed  with  difficulty.  After  the  storm  the  sun 
came  out  and  we  moved  on  down  the  Purgatory  River 
to  the  Arkansas  and  thence  to  Fort  Lyon,  uninter- 
rupted by  the  elements,  the  wild  beasts,  or  roving  bands 
of  Indians. 

RETURN  TO  FOKT  LARKED 

While  we  rested  here,  a  tornado  struck  the  camp, 
levelled  our  tents  to  the  ground,  and  swept  the  horses 
and  mules  at  full  speed  for  miles  over  the  prairie. 
When  the  storm  had  passed,  the  horses  were  all 
brought  back  and  the  command  moved  on  down  the  val- 
ley,—  where  beautiful  cities,  fields,  and  factories  now 
stand, —  to  find  Fort  Lamed  threatened  by  the  Chey- 
enne and  Arapahoe  Indians.  They  were  hungry  and 
demanded  of  the  Post-Commandant,  sugar,  coffee, 
flour,  and  bacon,  not  a  pound  of  which  did  the  commis- 
sary have  left  at  the  fort.  For  a  week  or  more  about 
three  thousand  of  these  savage  barbarians  had  been 
demanding  and  receiving  supplies  every  day,  until  the 
troops  in  the  garrison  were  on  short  rations,  and  the 
officers  on  the  verge  of  a  panic. 

When  we  were  within  two  days'  march  of  Larned, 
a  messenger  met  us  with  a  hurry-up  despatch  that  the 
fort  was  surrounded  by  hostile  Indians  and  liable  to 
be  attacked  at  any  moment.  Naturally  we  increased 
our  speed,  and  the  last  twenty-five  miles  were  made 
without  a  halt.  On  arriving  at  Larned  we  found  the 


SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY  49 

plateau  in  front  of  the  fort  swarming  with  Indians. 
But  a  glance  at  them  revealed  the  fact  that  the  squaws 
and  papooses  were  also  there,  and  that  was  proof  posi- 
tive that  they  had  no  thought  of  attacking  the  garrison. 

Instead  of  moving  into  the  fort  where  there  was 
neither  grass,  rations  nor  forage,  we  went  into  camp  in 
a  bend  of  the  river,  Pawnee  Fork,  between  the  fort  and 
the  Indian  camps.  When  our  camp  was  established,  I 
stationed  guards  at  suitable  places  with  instructions 
not  to  allow  an  Indian  to  come  within.  The  tents  were 
soon  up,  the  horses  picketed  out  and  the  men  busy  pre- 
paring supper.  The  Indians  swarmed  around  on  the 
outside  and  having  been  in  the  habit  of  entering  the 
post  at  will  and  demanding  food  or  anything  else  that 
suited  them,  they  thought  they  had  the  same  right  in 
our  camp. 

The  sentinels  had  no  instructions  to  shoot  but  were 
directed  to  load  their  carbines  and  keep  the  Indians 
back.  They  crowded  up,  some  three  or  four  hundred 
of  them,  closer  and  closer  to  the  line  and  finally  a  bunch 
of  twenty-five  or  thirty  bucks  broke  over  and  started 
up  between  the  rows  of  tents,  grabbing  the  provisions 
that  our  men  were  cooking.  The  soldiers  flew  for  their 
guns  and  I  jerked  my  sabre  and  ran  down  to  meet  the 
Indians.  The  first  one  I  reached  received  a  broadsider 
across  the  side  of  his  head  and  went  down ;  the  second 
likewise,  and  the  third  the  same,  but  worse.  By  that 
time  the  soldiers  were  in  line  with  their  guns  and  the 
Indians  were  leaving  camp  faster  than  they  came. 
The  three  or  four  hundred  on  the  outside,  near  camp, 
were  watching  for  results,  and  when  the  twenty-five 
or  thirty  braves  who  made  the  break  went  back  pell- 
mell  with  their  experience,  and  three  of  them  with  a 
headache,  they  were  blackguarded  and  ridiculed  by 
the  Indians  until  they  left  camp. 

That  night  two  of  my  horses  strayed  across  the 
river  and  the  Indians  found  and  promptly  took  them  to 
their  camp.  The  next  morning  I  just  as  promptly  took 


50  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

fifty  men,  mounted,  crossed  the  river  and  moved  on 
their  works.  I  formed  in  front  of  the  chief 's  tent  and 
sent  for  him.  He  came  out  and  I  told  him  that  two  of 
my  horses  were  in  his  camp  and  I  had  come  for  them. 
He  looked  around  and  said  something  in  Indian,  when 
two  of  his  warriors  started  away  at  a  double-quick. 
He  then  turned  to  me  and  said,  "  Ponies  come.  Me 
good  Injin. "  In  a  few  minutes  the  horses  were  brought 
up  and  we  took  them  to  camp. 

INDIAN    COUNCIL 

At  twelve  o'clock  a  powwow  or  so-called  council 
was  to  be  held  at  the  Post,  and  we,  the  newcomers,  were 
invited.  At  the  appointed  time  the  council  assembled, 
and  we  were  all  there.  Soon  the  chiefs  and  warriors 
in  full  dress  came  up,  grunted,  and  squatted  in  a  circle 
under  the  shade  of  a  big  elm  tree.  They  looked  at  the 
newcomers  with  eyes  askant,  and  began  to  smoke  the 
pipe  of  peace.  They  each  took  two  whiffs  and  passed 
the  pipe  on  around  the  circle,  and  then  to  the  Post- 
Commandant,  Captain  Whittenhall,  who  had  been  ex- 
ceedingly generous  to  them. 

They  again  looked  out  from  under  their  shaggy 
brows  at  the  new  arrivals,  who  were  sitting  apart  from 
the  circle.  The  Indians  seemed  ill  at  ease,  but  finally, 
Little  Eaven,  the  head  chief  of  the  Arapahoes,  rose 
from  his  awkward  posture  with  the  dignity  of  a  Roman 
Senator  and,  addressing  Captain  Whittenhall  with  his 
eyes  still  on  the  newcomers,  began  the  same  speech  he 
had  made  to  the  captain  each  morning  for  a  week. 

He  wanted  more  sugar,  more  coffee,  more  bacon, 
more  flour.  When  he  had  finished  his  harangue  and 
received  an  expression  of  approval  from  the  other 
chiefs  and  warriors,  he  subsided,  and  Tall  Bull,  a  war- 
chief  of  the  Cheyennes,  arose  and  with  similar  gestures 
and  emotions  made  substantially  the  same  demands  as 
those  made  by  Little  Eaven.  Other  chiefs  followed, 
until  they  had  worn  the  subject  threadbare,  and  then 
they  all  grunted  in  unison  and  paused  for  a  reply. 


SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY  51 

Captain  Whittenhall,  to  whom  the  Indians  ad- 
dressed their  remarks,  told  them  in  a  modest,  if  not 
timid,  sort  of  way,  that  he  had  already  issued  to  them 
all  the  provisions  he  had  at  the  Post,  and  while  he 
would  be  glad  to  give  them  what  they  wanted,  he  could 
not  do  so  because  he  had  nothing  left  to  give.  This 
did  not  suit  them,  and  they  began  to  murmur  among 
themselves  and  rose  to  their  feet  with  a  defiant  air,  as 
much  as  to  say,  "  We  will  take  what  we  want." 

A  wild  Indian  in  those  days  had  no  respect  for  any- 
thing but  force,  and  our  battalion  had  an  abundance  of 
that  on  tap.  When  the  chiefs  assumed  a  threatening 
attitude,  the  newcomers  at  once  entered  the  council 
and  told  them  in  plain,  positive  language  what  to  do 
and  how  to  do  it.  They  were  informed  that  buffalo, 
deer  and  antelope,  in  abundance,  were  grazing  all  over 
the  plains  from  the  Arkansas  to  British  America,  and 
that  they  must  go,  without  standing  on  the  order  of 
their  going,  and  get  what  they  wanted.  That  afternoon 
they  took  down  their  tepees  and  the  next  day  not  an 
Indian  was  to  be  seen  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Lamed. 

This  little  episode  having  passed  without  the  loss 
of  a  brave  on  either  side,  our  battalion  moved  on  down 
the  old  Santa  Fe  trail  to  the  crossing  of  the  Walnut, 
near  where  the  city  of  Great  Bend  now  stands.  Here 
we  stopped  two  days  to  muster,  under  an  order  from 
the  War  Department,  and  also  to  secure  a  supply  of 
buffalo  meat  for  the  command. 

Our  stay  at  this  camp  was  noted  for  wild  rides  and 
hairbreadth  escapes  of  officers  and  men  while  gunning 
for  game.  The  first  to  encounter  danger  was  Captain 
Moore,  of  the  Second,  who  was  unhorsed  by  a  buffalo 
cow  while  he  was  shooting  at  her  wounded  calf.  Later 
Lieutenant  Cross  was  pursued  by  a  wounded  buffalo 
and  narrowly  escaped  the  same  fate.  Lieutenant  John- 
son and  Albert  Payne  were  surrounded  late  in  the  af- 
ternoon by  a  large  herd  and  carried  northward  from 
dark  until  daylight,  when  they  found  themselves  thirty 
miles  from  camp. 


52  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

These  were  the  tfrrilling  events  of  our  expedition 
to  Fort  Union  and  back  to  the  borders  of  civilization. 
From  our  camp  on  the  Walnut,  which,  for  half  a  cen- 
tury was  known  as  the  "  Bloody  Crossing,"  we 
marched  by  way  of  Council  Grove,  Fort  Eiley,  Topeka, 
and  Lawrence  to  Fort  Scott,  Kansas,  arriving  there  on 
the  twentieth  day  of  September,  1862 ;  having  travelled 
over  two  thousand  miles  from  the  day  we  broke  camp 
near  Kansas  City  on  the  twentieth  day  of  April. 


CHAPTER  V 

OPERATIONS  IN  MISSOURI  AND  ARKANSAS 

BATTLE  OF  NEWTONIA,  OCTOBER  4,  1862 NIGHT  ENGAGE- 
MENT AT  CROSS  HOLLOWS,  OCTOBER  18,  1862 BATTLE 

OP  OLD  FORT  WAYNE,  OCTOBER  22,  1862 CAPTURE  OF 

BATTERY ENGAGEMENT     AT      BOONSBORO      AND     COVE 

CREEK,    NOVEMBER    8,    1862  —  SKIRMISH    WITH    BUSH- 
WHACKERS   CAVALRY  FIGHT  AT  CARTHAGE,  NOVEMBER 

20,  1862. 

AT  Fort  Scott  I  was  tendered  the  Lieutenant  Col- 
onelcy of  the  Twelfth  Kansas  Infantry,  but  pre- 
ferring the  cavalry,  I  remained  in  the  Second ;  and  on 
September  30, 1  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  a  bat- 
talion of  that  regiment.  At  two  o  'clock  on  the  morning 
of  October  1,  I  was  ordered  with  my  battalion  to  the 
relief  of  Colonel  Ritchie  and  Captain  Russell  of  the 
Second,  who  were  surrounded  by  the  Confederate  Col- 
onel, Stand  Watie,  with  a  large  force,  on  Spring  River, 
and  had  been  fighting  for  three  days.  At  3  P.  M.  I 
reached  Spring  River,  sixty  miles  distant,  moved  to 
the  front,  and  opened  on  Stand  Watie  at  close  range. 
After  I  arrived,  the  battle  continued  about  thirty  min- 
utes, when  the  enemy,  consisting  of  Cherokee  Indians 
and  Missouri  bushwhackers,  broke  and  fled  from  the 
field  in  confusion. 

Stand  Watie  subsequently  averred  that  his  men 
were  out  of  ammunition,  and  perhaps  he  was  right; 
because  he  and  Ritchie  had  been  skirmishing  and  fight- 
ing for  three  days,  and  Ritchie  had  only  a  few  rounds 
left.  After  burying  the  dead  and  caring  for  the 
wounded,  we  joined  the  regiment,  which  was  en  route 

53 


54  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

to  reinforce  General  Salomon  at  Sarcoxie,  Missouri, 
who  was  threatened  by  a  superior  force  at  Newtonia. 

BATTLE  OF   NEWTONIA,  OCTOBER  4,   1862 

On  March  6,  7,  and  8,  the  battle  of  Pea  Eidge  was 
fought  and  won  by  General  S.  E.  Curtis,  commanding 
the  Union  forces.  Soon  thereafter  the  bulk  of  his 
troops  was  transferred  to  the  east  of  the  Mississippi, 
leaving  Generals  Schofield,  Blunt,  and  Herron  with  in- 
experienced troops,  to  take  care  of  Missouri  and  the 
country  west  of  the  Mississippi.  Opposed  to  them  were 
the  Confederate  generals,  Marmaduke,  Shelby,  Hind- 
man,  and  others,  with  troops  equally  untrained  and 
less  steady  in  action. 

Blunt  concentrated  his  division  at  Fort  Scott,  which 
consisted  of  the  Second,  Sixth,  and  Ninth  Kansas  Cav- 
alry; the  Tenth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth,  and  Thirteenth 
Kansas  Infantry;  the  Third  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  and 
Ninth  Wisconsin  Infantry;  the  Eighteenth  Iowa  In- 
fantry; the  First  Kansas  and  Second  Indiana  bat- 
teries —  about  six  thousand  men  all  told. 

General  Blunt  moved  with  his  division  from  Fort 
Scott  on  the  first  day  of  October,  1862,  and  on  the 
fourth  at  Newtonia,  in  Southwest  Missouri,  struck 
Marmaduke  and  Shelby,  who,  after  an  artillery  duel  of 
an  hour,  retreated  in  hot  haste  southward,  with  my  bat- 
talion of  the  Second  Kansas  and  a  section  of  Captain 
Eabb's  Second  Indiana  battery  hanging  heavily  on 
their  flank  and  rear.  We  followed  them  until  dark, 
when  we  gave  up  the  chase  and  rejoined  the  command. 

The  next  day  General  Blunt  moved  forward  to 
Keetsville,  Missouri,  and  on  the  sixteenth  the  Second 
moved  forward  and  camped  on  the  old  battlefield  of 
Pea  Eidge.  The  Second,  under  the  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Bassett,  was  ordered  forward  from  Pea 
Eidge  to  Cross  Hollows,  where  the  enemy  was  en- 
camped and  supposed  to  be  entrenched. 


OPERATIONS    IN    MISSOURI  55 

NIGHT  ENGAGEMENT  AT  CROSS  HOLLOWS,  OCTOBER  18,  1862 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  eighteenth,  we  encountered 
a  scouting  party  of  the  enemy  in  the  timber,  and  drove 
them  back  on  their  main  force  at  Cross  Hollows.  Here 
we  found  the  enemy  in  position ;  protected  on  all  sides 
by  the  natural  formation  of  the  hills  and  hollows. 
Fortunately,  we  reached  his  lines  and  took  in  the  situa- 
tion before  dark ;  otherwise,  we  might  have  been  drawn 
into  a  trap. 

The  real  battle  opened  at  the  entrance  to  the  Hol- 
lows about  sunset;  after  fighting  for  an  hour  or  so, 
the  Second  advanced  over  and  down  rugged  declivities 
into  the  open  smooth  ground,  and  then  drove  the  enemy 
out  through  the  cut  roads  to  the  hills  on  the  south 
side.  Here  the  fighting  continued  until  about  twelve 
o'clock,  when  the  enemy  retreated  and  left  the  field  in 
our  possession. 

Having  accomplished  the  purpose  of  the  raid,  we 
rejoined  Blunt 's  command  at  Pea  Eidge  on  the  even- 
ing of  October  20,  and  after  halting  for  an  hour  the 
Second  was  directed  to  move  in  advance  of  the  division 
on  the  road  to  Bentonville,  twenty-five  miles  distant. 
About  sunrise  the  next  morning  we  went  into  camp  in 
an  apple  orchard  near  that  town.  At  6  P.  M.  October 
21,  we  again  took  the  road  leading  to  Maysville,  where 
General  Cooper  with  a  large  force  of  the  enemy,  six 
thousand  men,  was  encamped. 

At  one  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  October  22,  and 
when  within  eight  miles  of  Maysville,  General  Blunt 
ordered  a  halt  for  an  hour  to  allow  the  infantry  and 
artillery  to  close  up.  At  2  A.  M.  he  ordered  an  ad- 
vance and  at  the  same  time  ordered  that  no  bugles  be 
sounded.  When  we  moved,  I  took  the  precaution  to 
send  the  Adjutant  back  to  the  rear  of  the  Second  to 
see  that  the  companies  were  all  moving. 

On  approaching  Maysville  just  before  the  break  of 
day,  we  saw  the  enemy's  picket  fires  burning  brightly, 


56  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

which  showed  that  he  was  in  the  vicinity.  General 
Blunt,  being  with  us  at  the  front,  ordered  a  halt  and 
sent  a  staff  officer  back  to  see  if  the  command  was 
closed  up,  and  soon  the  officer  returned  with  the  in- 
formation that  no  troops  were  present  except  the  Sec- 
ond. "Whereupon  the  brigade  commander  and  field 
officer  of  the  day  dashed  back  at  full  speed  to  see  what 
had  become  of  the  rest  of  the  troops. 

The  General  thought  they  had  taken  the  wrong  road 
in  the  darkness  of  the  night;  but  I  suggested  to  him 
that  the  regimental  commander  next  in  rear  of  the  Sec- 
ond was  probably  asleep  when  we  moved  at  two  o'clock, 
and  that  they  were  still  there.  This  proved  to  be  true. 
Daylight  was  then  approaching,  and  the  enemy 's  pick- 
ets were  less  than  half  a  mile  distant ;  but  as  yet  their 
camp  had  not  been  located.  We  were  in  suspense, 
standing  there  with  one  regiment  on  the  open  prairie, 
in  full  view  of  the  enemy's  pickets,  with  the  certainty 
of  a  large  force  in  our  front,  and  the  uncertainty  of 
what  had  become  of  our  army. 

BATTLE  OF  OLD  FORT  WAYNE,  OCTOBER  22,  1862 

For  dash,  determination,  and  reckless  daring  on  the 
part  of  the  Second  Kansas  Cavalry,  the  battle  of  Old 
Fort  Wayne  and  its  approaches  stands  without  a  rival. 
For  two  nights  previous  to  the  morning  of  the  battle, 
the  regiment  had  led  the  advance  and  been  in  the  sad- 
dle continuously,  without  an  hour's  sleep.  At  daylight 
in  the  morning,  when  it  was  discovered  that  by  an  in- 
excusable blunder  the  whole  army,  except  the  Second, 
had  been  left  asleep  eight  miles  in  the  rear,  General 
Blunt  ordered  me  to  move  forward  with  my  battalion 
and  drive  in  the  Eebel  pickets,  saying  that  he  would  as- 
certain the  position  of  the  enemy  and  skirmish  with 
them  until  the  remainder  of  his  division  reached  the 
field. 

At  the  same  time  he  directed  Colonel  Bassett  to 
send  two  other  companies  of  the  Second  around  to  ap- 
proach the  village  of  Maysville  in  our  immediate  front, 


OPERATIONS   IN   MISSOURI  57 

by  other  roads.  I  moved  forward,  scattered  the  first 
picket  and  captured  the  village,  with  a  few  stragglers 
from  the  Rebel  camp.  In  a  few  minutes  General  Blunt 
and  the  remainder  of  the  Second  came  in,  and  learning 
that  the  Rebel  camp  was  four  miles  to  the  southwest,  he 
ordered  the  whole  regiment  to  move  in  that  direction. 

On  leaving  the  village  my  battalion  was  in  the  ad- 
vance; and  soon  General  Blunt  reached  the  front  and 
said  to  me,  "  Let  's  go  forward  and  have  some  fun 
with  their  next  picket-post."  We  started  first  at  a 
steady  gallop  and  in  a  few  minutes  captured  a  colored 
fellow  who  had  left  the  Rebel  command  that  morning 
when  all  were  excited.  He  told  us  that  General  Cooper 
was  in  command,  and  that  he  was  forming  his  line  of 
battle  at  the  lower  end  of  the  prairie  over  which  we 
were  then  riding.  He  also  told  us  that  Cooper  had  a 
"  powerful  "  army,  and  a  mounted  picket  on  the  road 
about  a  mile  ahead  of  us. 

Then  Sergeant  Cooper,  with  three  men  of  the  Gen- 
eral 's  bodyguard,  having  overtaken  us,  we  six  men  and 
an  unarmed  "  contraband  "  let  our  horses  move  at  a 
lively  gait.  In  a  few  minutes  we  struck  the  Rebel 
picket  in  the  road  —  about  fifteen  mounted  men  — 
ready  to  move.  There  were  seven  of  us,  counting  the 
darkey,  and  the  Second  by  this  time  was  a  mile  back. 
Nevertheless  we  were  out  for  a  lark,  and  that  was  not 
the  time  nor  the  place  to  turn  in ;  so  away  we  went  on 
a  hot  trail,  gaining  every  minute  on  the  Knights  of 
Chivalry. 

Blunt  and  I  were  both  mounted  on  fleet,  blooded 
horses  of  the  very  best,  but  they  could  not  overtake  the 
Arkansas,  Texas,  and  Choctaw  bronchos,  which  seemed 
to  have  been  selected  and  trained  for  that  special  occa- 
sion. But  that  picket  was  not  so  wild  and  woolly  as  we 
had  reckoned.  All  of  a  sudden  they  whirled  around  a 
small  cluster  of  trees  and  bushes  out  on  the  prairie, 
and  ran  into  the  arms  of  a  grand  guard  of  about  sixty 
mounted  men  in  battle  array. 

Blunt  and  I  checked  our  horses  as  quickly  as  possi- 


58  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

ble,  but  within  close  range.  Sergeant  Cooper's  horse 
carried  him  straight  to  the  enemy,  and  he  surrendered. 
The  other  three  members  of  the  bodyguard  and  our 
colored  prisoner  formed  in  line  in  our  rear,  and  there 
we  stood,  six  against  sixty,  with  our  support,  the  Sec- 
ond Kansas,  more  than  a  mile  back. 

They  looked  at  us,  and  we  looked  at  them,  resolved 
in  our  own  minds  that  if  they  didn't  —  we  wouldn't. 
They  were  not  quite  satisfied  to  let  well-enough  alone, 
and  their  Captain  rode  out  in  front  of  his  line  and  fired 
one  shot  which  went  over  our  heads.  I  had  a  navy 
pistol  in  my  hand  and  instantly  replied  with  two  shots 
and  probably  missed  the  Captain.  Those  were  the  only 
shots  fired,  and  then  they  wheeled  into  column  and 
rode  off  the  field,  to  our  great  satisfaction.  We  were 
then  within  a  mile  of  Cooper's  line  of  battle,  which 
was  hid  from  view  by  a  skirt  of  timber. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  Second  came  up  and  I  was  or- 
dered to  take  my  battalion  and  skirmish  through  the 
timber  to  the  left,  while  General  Blunt  took  Stover's 
howitzers  and  the  remainder  of  the  Second,  and  moved 
rapidly  around  the  timber  and  out  on  to  the  open  field, 
in  full  view  of  the  enemy's  position.  I  was  immediately 
ordered  to  the  front,  and  when  I  arrived,  I  found  the 
other  companies  of  the  regiment  hotly  engaged.  Gen- 
eral Cooper  had  formed  his  line  of  battle  across  the 
field  at  the  south  end  of  the  prairie,  in  front  of  a  heavy 
body  of  timber,  with  both  his  flanks  protected,  and  his 
artillery  on  a  slight  elevation  near  the  centre. 

General  Blunt  and  Colonel  Bassett  in  forming  our 
line  had  stationed  Stover 's  howitzers  on  the  right,  pro- 
tected by  company  A,  Lieutenant  Johnson ;  and  on  the 
left  were  companies  C,  Sergeant  Barker;  I,  Captain 
Ayers;  F,  Lieutenant  Lee;  and  G,  Lieutenant  Cos- 
grove,  leaving  a  wide  open  space  between  the  two 
wings. 

Stover  opened  the  battle  with  his  guns,  and  in- 
stantly our  right  and  left  were  engaged.  The  Rebel 


OPERATIONS  IN  MISSOURI  59 

battery  —  four  guns  —  was  turned  on  Stover,  and  shell 
and  canister  were  flying  in  every  direction  when  I 
reached  the  field.  I  came  up  with  my  battalion  at  a 
gallop  in  front  of  the  Rebel  centre  and  directly  in 
front  of  the  Rebel  battery,  and  was  directed  to  dis- 
mount, move  forward,  and  occupy  the  open  field  be- 
tween our  two  flanks.  While  we  were  dismounting,  the 
Rebel  battery  was  turned  on  my  battalion,  but  it  seemed 
to  be  shooting  at  the  stars.  The  shells  flew  high  over 
our  heads.  Under  their  artillery  fire  and  in  the  face 
of  musketry,  I  advanced  to  close  range  and  opened  fire. 

My  battalion  was  formed  in  line  from  right  to  left, 
as  follows: 

Company  H,  Lieutenant  Ballard  commanding. 

Company  B,  Captain  Hopkins  commanding. 

Company  D,  Lieutenant  Moore  commanding. 

Company  K,  Captain  Russell  commanding. 

Company  E,  Captain  Gardner  commanding. 

At  first  we  fired  volleys,  but  pretty  soon  I  gave  the 
order,  "  Fire  at  will,  aim  low,  and  give  'em  hell!  ' 
The  Rebel  infantry  overshot  all  the  time,  and  their  ar- 
tillery for  quite  a  while ;  but  finally  they  began  to  lower 
their  cannon,  and  the  shells  came  closer  and  closer  to 
our  heads  as  they  passed  over  us  with  that  peculiar 
warning  well  remembered  by  old  soldiers.  Finally 
they  got  the  range,  and  their  shells  began  to  crash 
through  the  line  and  explode  among  our  horses,  held 
by  every  fourth  man  in  our  rear. 

CAPTUBE  OF  BATTEEY 

This  left  us  but  one  of  two  things  to  do, —  either 
charge  and  capture  the  battery,  or  retreat.  Either  was 
hazardous.  In  our  front  was  a  line  of  infantry  —  three 
to  our  one  —  and  a  battery  which  would  probably  use 
canister  if  we  advanced;  and  in  our  rear  nothing  but 
the  open  prairie  upon  which  to  fall  back.  As  yet  it  was 
not  known  what  had  become  of  our  infantry,  artillery, 
and  the  rest  of  our  cavalry.  They  were  not  in  sight, 


60  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

and  I  did  not  know  where  they  were.  General  Blunt 
was  on  another  part  of  the  field,  and  I  had  no  time  to 
communicate  with  him.  So  it  was  up  to  me  to  act,  and 
act  quickly. 

I  had  unwavering  confidence  in  every  officer  and 
soldier  in  the  battalion.  Many  of  them  had  been  with 
me  at  the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek  and  other  engage- 
ments, so  the  question  of  courage  was  not  considered 
for  a  moment.  The  question  in  my  mind  was,  Can  we 
afford  to  take  the  chances?  While  considering  it 
briefly,  I  rode  over  to  where  Captain  Eussell  was  stand- 
ing in  the  rear  of  his  company,  and  said  to  him,  "  We 
have  got  to  take  that  battery,  else  we  are  gone  to  hell. ' ' 
The  Captain  replied,  "  All  right;  if  you  say  so,  we  '11 
try  it. ' '  That  was  sufficient,  and  I  immediately  ordered 
the  bugler  to  sound  the  advance. 

The  line  was  just  a  little  bit  slow  in  starting,  be- 
cause it  looked  as  though  we  were  going  into  the  jaws 
of  death.  To  add  zest  to  the  movement,  Lieutenant 
Horace  L.  Moore  stepped  to  the  front  of  his  company 
and,  whirling  his  sword  above  his  head,  rang  out  the 
command,  "  Forward,  D  Company!  "  From  that  mo- 
ment the  line  advanced  with  a  quickstep  to  and  over  a 
rail  fence  within  fifty  yards  of  the  Rebel  battery,  which 
was  belching  shell  in  our  faces.  Their  last  shot  struck 
the  panel  on  which  Captain  Gardner  and  some  of  his 
men  were  crossing  and  sent  them  unhurt  high  in  the 
air.  Over  the  fence  the  battalion  levelled  one  volley  at 
the  battery  and  the  Eebel  line  of  support,  and  then 
dashed  forward,  driving  everything,  except  the  bat- 
tery, before  them. 

Horses  enough  had  been  shot  to  hold  the  battery 
where  it  was.  The  Eebel  infantry  had  fallen  back  into 
the  timber,  from  which  they  were  making  a  desperate 
effort  to  recapture  the  battery  and  especially  the 
horses  attached  to  one  of  the  caissons,  which,  when 
abandoned  by  the  artillerymen,  had  run  down  into  the 
lower  corner  of  the  field  and  become  entangled  in  a 
cluster  of  small  bushes. 


OPERATIONS  IN  MISSOURI  61 

When  we  had  captured  the  battery,  I  ordered  Cap- 
tain Hopkins  to  turn  the  guns  on  the  enemy  and  shell 
the  woods  in  which  they  had  taken  shelter ;  but  he  could 
not  do  so  for  want  of  caps.  I  then  ordered  Lieutenant 
Moore  to  take  his  company  and  move  the  battery  to  the 
rear.  About  the  same  time  I  started  an  orderly  to  in- 
form General  Blunt  of  what  we  had  accomplished. 
After  all  this  had  been  done,  some  one  of  my  battalion 
called  attention  to  our  troops  that  had  been  left  behind 
the  night  before  and  were  now  coming  at  a  run  over  the 
prairie,  as  far  back  as  we  could  see.  Captain  Rabb  of 
the  Second  Indiana  battery  was  leading  the  host. 

General  Blunt  and  staff  were  back  on  the  prairie, 
thinking  that  my  battalion  had  been  captured,  because 
it  was  hid  from  view.  My  messenger  had  not  yet 
reached  him,  and  Lieutenant  Moore  was  moving  out 
toward  him,  when  Captain  Rabb  dashed  up  and  called 
his  attention  to  the  Rebel  battery  that  was  moving  on 
his  works.  The  General  ordered  Rabb  to  go  into  bat- 
tery and  use  canister.  Just  then  my  messenger  ar- 
rived and  told  the  General  that  we  had  captured  the 
Rebel  battery  and  driven  the  enemy  back  into  the 
woods.  Rabb  then  came  on  to  the  front  and  fired  a  few 
shells  in  the  direction  of  the  retreating  Rebels.  That 
closed  the  battle  of  Old  Fort  Wayne,  in  so  far  as  the 
fighting  was  concerned.  It  was  reported  that  the  en- 
emy retreated  on  a  run  until  they  reached  Fort  Gibson, 
sixty  miles  away. 

While  my  battalion  was  thus  engaged,  the  remain- 
der of  the  never-flinching  Second  were  equally  hard- 
pressed  on  both  flanks.  But  they  stood  firm,  and 
prevented  the  enemy  from  closing  around  to  our  rear 
and  cutting  us  off  when  we  advanced  on  the  Rebel  cen- 
tre. Not  only  that,  but  they  captured  the  horses  of  a 
dismounted  Rebel  regiment,  and  these  were  subse- 
quently appropriated  by  one  of  our  Indian  regiments, 
which  came  up  after  the  fighting  was  over  and  while 
the  Second  was  pursuing  the  enemy.  On  the  twenty- 
seventh  the  guns  we  captured  were  turned  over  to 


62  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

Captain  Hopkins  and  his  company,  and  were  thereafter 
known  as  Hopkins 's  battery. 

The  division  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  old  Fort 
Wayne  until  November  6,  and  then  moved  to  Prairie 
Creek,  eight  miles  south  of  Bentonville. 

ENGAGEMENT   AT   BOONSBOBO  AND   COVE   CBEEK,    NOVEMBER 

8,  1862 

On  the  seventh  of  November,  Colonel  Cloud  and 
myself,  under  orders  from  General  Blunt,  went  out  on 
an  expedition  southward  with  the  Second  Kansas  Cav- 
alry and  Stover's  howitzers.  On  the  morning  of  the 
ninth  we  struck  Colonel  Emmet  McDonald,  Confed- 
erate Provost-Marshal  of  Missouri  and  Arkansas,  at 
Boonsboro,  and,  after  a  sharp  engagement  of  two 
hours,  broke  his  line  and  started  his  forces  on  the  re- 
treat toward  Cove  Creek  and  the  Boston  Mountains. 

McDonald's  command  was  composed  of  Confed- 
erate troops  from  Missouri  and  Arkansas,  with  a  train 
of  five  baggage  wagons  which  had  been  started  south 
before  we  arrived.  Having  notice  of  our  coming,  Mc- 
Donald had  formed  his  line  on  a  slight  elevation  in  a 
cluster  of  trees  with  a  ravine  in  his  front.  We  moved 
up,  formed,  and  opened  at  long  range,  but  the  distance 
was  so  far  that  our  fire  did  little  damage.  Finally  we 
worked  our  way  across  and  around  the  ravine  and  ad- 
vanced and  opened  fire  at  close  range. 

As  nearly  as  we  could  estimate,  the  forces  were 
about  equal  in  numbers.  Every  man  on  either  side  was 
at  his  best  and  ready  to  do  or  die.  The  colonels  com- 
manding —  Cloud  and  McDonald  —  were  well  matched ; 
both  were  nervous,  vain,  courageous,  and  wore  long 
hair.  McDonald  was  a  dashing  Hibernian,  taught 
from  childhood  to  eat  food  from  the  point  of  the  sword. 
Cloud  was  a  Knight  of  the  Old  Guard,  no  less  dashing 
and  eager  for  military  glory.  But  in  many  ways  the 
contest  was  unequal.  Cloud  had  trained  soldiers  who 
knew  not  the  meaning  of  the  word  "  retreat."  Me- 


OPERATIONS   IN   MISSOURI  63 

Donald  had  a  crowd  of  irregular,  indefinite,  uncertain 
Missouri  and  Arkansas  politicians  who  depended 
largely  upon  their  mouths  and  lungs  for  success.  The 
Second  replied  to  their  noisy  racket  with  bullets  which 
soon  had  a  soothing  effect. 

After  skirmishing  and  fighting  for  about  two  hours, 
the  enemy's  line  began  to  waver  and  pretty  soon  fell 
back  to  a  new  position.  From  this  they  were  readily 
dislodged,  and  then  driven  steadily  over  the  hills  to 
Cove  Creek,  fiVe  miles  distant,  whe(re  retreat  was 
turned  into  a  rout,  and  for  twenty  miles  down  the  val- 
ley it  was  a  race  for  dear  life.  We  soon  overtook  and 
captured  their  train,  baggage,  and  supplies.  We  also 
captured  a  number  of  prisoners  whose  horses  had 
failed  them;  and  finally  we  captured  their  flag,  and 
scattered  what  was  left  among  the  hills  in  all 
directions. 

From  Cove  Creek  we  moved  by  the  wire  road  to 
Fayetteville,  Arkansas;  and  thence  by  way  of  Elm 
Springs  back  to  Prairie  Creek,  whence  we  had  started. 
On  arriving  at  camp  we  found  the  division  on  half  ra- 
tions, and  General  Blunt  considerably  worried  about 
a  supply  train  of  three  hundred  wagons  which  had 
started  from  Fort  Scott  ten  days  previous.  The  mil- 
itary road  from  our  camp  to  Fort  Scott,  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  miles,  was  beset  with  Missouri  bush- 
whackers and  Rebel  Indian  renegades,  and  General 
Blunt  was  solicitous  lest  the  train,  which  was  overdue, 
might  have  been  captured. 

SKIBMISH   WITH   BUSHWHACKERS 

To  find  the  train  and  bring  it  to  camp,  I  was  di- 
rected to  take  my  battalion  and  a  detachment  of  In- 
dian troops  under  Lieutenant  Manning,  and  move  north 
in  the  direction  of  Fort  Scott.  On  the  morning  of  the 
seventeenth  we  started  and  marched  by  way  of  Elk 
River  to  Pineville,  Missouri. 

In  the  afternoon  we  struck  a  band  of  bushwhackers 


64  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

in  the  hills  of  McDonald  County,  who  fancied  they 
could  impede  our  progress.  They  had  stationed  their 
sharp-shooters  in  a  double-log  farm-house  and  behind 
a  barn  filled  with  hay ;  and  also  formed  an  ambuscade 
in  a  corn-field  near-by.  As  our  advance  passed,  the 
sharp-shooters  fired,  and  wounded  one  of  our  men.  I 
immediately  threw  a  squadron  of  the  Second  forward 
into  line  and  opened  fire  on  the  house,  barn,  and  every- 
thing in  sight. 

At  the  same  tune  Lieutenant  Manning  swung  his 
battalion  around  the  house  and  moved  forward  to  take 
care  of  the  gentlemen  in  the  corn-field.  A  few  volleys 
brought  a  cadaverous  clay-eater  out  of  the  house  pro- 
claiming his  loyalty  to  the  Union,  the  invariable  plea 
of  the  bushwhacker  when  caught  red-handed.  He  was 
promptly  made  a  prisoner,  and  the  firing  went  mer- 
rily on. 

In  some  way  the  barn  and  hay  took  fire  and  soon 
the  flames  leaped  to  the  dwelling-house,  and  from  there 
to  a  number  of  wheat  stacks  near  by.  Then  the  bush- 
whackers climbed  out  and  saved  themselves  as  best 
they  could.  Some  of  them  ran  within  range  of  Man- 
ning's guns,  and  others  fled  for  their  holes  in  the  near- 
by rugged  hills.  The  place  was  a  rendezvous  for 
thieves  and  cut-throats,  and  the  wheat,  corn,  and  hay 
had  been  gathered  and  cribbed  and  stacked  there  for 
their  winter  supply. 

From  here  we  moved  to  Pineville,  and  camped  for 
the  night.  The  next  day  we  reached  Neosho  late  in  the 
afternoon.  When  within  a  mile  of  town,  I  ordered 
Lieutenant  Moore,  with  the  advance  guard,  to  dash 
forward  and  pick  up  such  of  the  enemy  as  he  might 
find  lying  around  loose.  Moore,  true  as  the  needle  to 
the  pole,  moved  rapidly  down  the  road  and  into  town 
so  quickly  that  the  Rebel  ladies  had  not  time  to  con- 
ceal the  few  bushwhackers  or  Confederates  who  were 
prowling  about. 

Most  of  them,  however,  hearing  the  racket  incident 


OPERATIONS  IN   MISSOURI  g5 

to  a  cavalry  company  moving  at  full  speed,  had  time  to 
mount  their  horses  and  get  away, —  in  fact  all  of  them, 
if  I  remember  correctly,  except  one  belated  captain 
who  was  running  at  full  speed  down  one  of  the  princi- 
pal streets,  with  Lieutenant  Moore  on  a  fleet  horse  not 
twenty  paces  in  his  rear.  Moore  could  have  disabled 
or  killed  him  easily,  but  preferred  to  capture  him.  The 
captain's  fiancee,  a  most  beautiful  little  Rebel  girl, 
standing  on  the  sidewalk  and  seeing  her  gallant  cap- 
tain in  danger  of  being  captured,  ran  out  and  threw 
herself  immediately  in  front  of  Moore's  horse  and 
brought  him  to  a  halt;  and  that  gave  the  Rebel  cap- 
tain time  to  make  good  his  escape.  It  has  always  been 
a  question  in  my  mind  whether  it  was  the  danger  of 
running  over  the  young  lady  or  her  charming  beauty 
that  brought  the  Lieutenant  so  suddenly  to  a  halt. 

From  Neosho  we  moved  on  to  Carthage  and  there 
could  hear  only  wild  rumors  concerning  our  train.  One 
report  was  that  it  had  been  captured  by  Stand  Watie 
and  the  bushwhackers  over  on  the  military  road.  An- 
other was  that  it  had  been  attacked  and  driven  by  way 
of  Lamar  to  Springfield,  Missouri.  So  I  called  a  halt 
at  Carthage  and  sent  Lieutenant  Manning  north  to  the 
Lamar  Road,  and  Lieutenant  Moore  west  to  the  mili- 
tary road,  and  awaited  their  return. 

CAVALRY   FIGHT  AT   CARTHAGE,   NOVEMBER   20,    1862 

While  encamped  in  the  old  court-house  square  at 
Carthage  about  one  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Novem- 
ber 20,  the  notorious  bushwhacker,  Tom  Livingston, 
attacked  our  picket  of  seven  men  a  mile  from  camp, 
with  about  one  hundred  men.  The  picket  fired  one 
volley  and  immediately  started  at  full  speed  for  camp. 
I  had  previously  instructed  them  if  attacked  to  come 
in  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  public  square,  where 
I  would  meet  them. 

My  troops  were  sleeping  on  their  arms  and  as  soon 
as  the  pickets  fired,  I  moved  eighty  men  to  the  point 


66  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

designated  and  formed  them  in  line  across  the  street. 
The  enemy  followed  our  pickets  at  full  speed  and  both 
parties  were  firing  as  they  came.  I  reserved  the  fire 
from  my  line  until  our  men  passed,  and  then  levelled  a 
volley  at  the  bunch  of  bushwhackers,  who  had  been 
brought  to  a  halt  suddenly  within  a  few  paces  of  our 
line.  While  they  were  turning  their  horses  and  try- 
ing to  get  away,  we  gave  them  another  volley  which 
emptied  a  number  of  saddles.  How  many  were  killed 
and  wounded  we  had  no  means  of  knowing,  but  four  of 
their  men,  too  badly  wounded  to  be  removed,  were  left 
in  our  hands. 

During  the  night  the  scouting  parties  returned,  and 
Lieutenant  Moore  reported  that  he  had  found  the  lost 
train  in  camp  on  Spring  Eiver  twenty  miles  west  of 
Carthage.  They  had  been  lying  idle  for  ten  days,  while 
the  army  at  the  front  was  short  of  rations.  The  next 
morning  Lieutenant  Manning  having  returned  from 
Lamar,  I  moved  west  and,  arriving  at  the  train  in  the 
evening,  assumed  command  and  issued  the  order  6f 
march  for  six  o'clock  the  next  morning. 

In  conversation  with  Captain  Conkey  of  the  Third 
Wisconsin  Cavalry,  who  had  commanded  the  escort 
for  the  train  from  Fort  Scott  to  Spring  River,  I  found 
that  on  arriving  there,  Captain  Morton,  a  quarter- 
master, had  assumed  command  and  held  the  train  in 
camp  for  ten  days.  He  was  living  in  regal  style  —  a  la 
Schah  de  Perse  —  and  did  not  concern  himself  about 
his  imaginary  subjects,  the  army  at  the  front. 

When  six  o  'clock,  the  hour  of  march,  came  the  next 
morning,  the  train-mules  had  not  been  hitched  to  the 
wagons,  Morton's  tents  were  still  standing,  his  outfit 
asleep,  and  their  breakfast  in  embryo.  Captain  Gard- 
ner, the  officer  of  the  day,  a  real  soldier,  rode  over, 
called  him  up,  and  asked  if  he  did  not  receive  the  order 
of  march  the  night  before.  "  Yes,"  he  said,  "  but  I 
want  it  understood  right  now  that  I  am  in  command  of 
this  train,  and  it  will  not  move  until  I  say  the  word." 


OPERATIONS  IN  MISSOURI  67 

I  was  sitting  on  my  horse  some  distance  away,  wait- 
ing to  hear  the  cause  of  delay,  when  Captain  Gardner 
rode  up  and  told  me.  We  rode  over  to  Morton's  tent, 
and  called  him  out.  I  asked  him  about  what  was  said 
to  Captain  Gardner. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  I  claim  to  be  in —  " 

"  That  's  enough,  I  said,  "  and  if  I  hear  another 
word  from  you  about  commanding  this  train,  I  will 
tie  you  behind  a  wagon  from  here  to  the  camp  of  the 
division. ' '  Then  I  ordered  Gardner  to  move  the  train, 
and  if  Morton  and  his  outfit  were  not  in  line  when  the 
rear-guard  moved,  to  leave  them  back  to  take  care  of 
themselves. 

Morton's  tents  went  down  as  if  by  magic  and  his 
baggage-wagon  and  other  paraphernalia  dropped  in 
the  rear  just  in  time  to  save  themselves.  Thereafter, 
from  this  camp  to  the  army  in  Arkansas,  we  had  no 
further  trouble.  I  moved  the  train  at  the  rate  of  twenty- 
five  miles  per  day,  over  a  rough  road,  without  the  loss 
of  a  man,  mule,  or  wagon. 

In  a  skirmish  with  the  notorious  Fay  Price  of 
Southwest  Missouri,  I  had  one  man  slightly  wounded, 
but  Price  and  his  bushwhackers  paid  dearly  for  it. 
They  had  secreted  themselves  in  a  cluster  of  trees  and 
bushes  near  the  road,  and  when  the  bulk  of  the  train 
and  troops  had  passd,  they  opened  fire  on  what  they 
supposed  to  be  our  rear  guard.  But  it  so  happened 
that  the  gallant  Captain  Coleman  with  his  company  of 
the  Ninth  Kansas  Cavalry  was  yet  back,  and  hearing 
the  firing  he  made  a  dash  for  an  open  field  on  their  rear. 
Finding  themselves  almost  surrounded,  they  broke  and 
tried  to  make  their  escape,  but  Coleman  was  too  quick 
for  them.  He  captured  Price  and  a  number  of  prison- 
ers, some  of  whom  had  been  wounded  and  their  horses 
shot  from  under  them. 

On  November  26  we  reached  the  army  in  Western 
Arkansas  and  received  a  hearty  welcome  from  five 
thousand  men  who  were  out  of  rations. 


CHAPTER  VI 

CAMPAIGN  IN   ARKANSAS 

BATTLE    OF    CANE    HILL BATTLE    OF    THE    BOSTON    MOUN- 
TAINS, DECEMBER  6,   1862 BATTLE  OF  PRAIRIE  GROVE, 

DECEMBER  7,  1862 ARMISTICE  REQUESTED  BY  GENERAL 

HINDMAN REAL    SOLDIERS    AND    POLITICAL    SOLDIERS. 

ON  the  twenty-seventh  of  November  the  Second 
moved  with  General  Blunt 's  division  to  Rhea's 
Mills,  seven  miles  north  of  Cane  Hill,  where  the  Con- 
federate general  Marmaduke  and  Shelby  were  stationed 
with  about  five  thousand  troops.  At  two  o  'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  twenty-eighth,  General  Blunt  with  four 
thousand  of  his  division  moved  on  the  road  to  Marma- 
duke 's  camp.  The  night  was  dark,  and  the  road  almost 
impassable.  The  General's  order  of  march  for  his  cav- 
alry and  artillery  was  ill  conceived,  and  his  plan  of 
battle  was  worse.  He  knew  nothing  of  the  enemy's 
actual  position,  and  went  blundering  along  with  his 
artillery  virtually  unsupported,  in  the  advance,  and 
his  cavalry  and  infantry  all  mixed  up  in  the  rear,  and 
scattered  and  straggling  back  for  miles  along  a  muddy 
road. 

Marmaduke  had  selected  his  own  battle-ground  and 
formed  his  line  extending  northward  from  College  Hill. 
In  front  of  his  artillery  was  a  deep  hollow  with  precip- 
itous hill-sides. 

BATTLE  OF  CANE  HILL 

Blunt  moved  up  a  steep  hill  and  out  in  front  of 
Marmaduke 's  line  with  the  Second  Indiana  battery  un- 
der Captain  Rabb,  supported  by  Major  Fisk  with  three 

68 


CAMPAIGN   IN   KANSAS  69 

companies  of  the  Second  Kansas  Cavalry,  while  the 
remainder  of  his  troops  were  from  one  to  three  miles 
back.  He  ordered  Rabb  to  go  into  battery  on  a  hill- 
side and  open  on  the  enemy.  While  Rabb  was  trying 
to  get  his  guns  in  position,  the  enemy  opened  on  him, 
and  having  the  range,  knocked  his  guns,  horses,  and 
men  around  promiscuously.  Major  Fisk  was  wounded, 
and  his  battalion,  with  Rabb's,  had  to  fall  back  to  a 
new  position.  Had  Marmaduke  charged  at  that  par- 
ticular time,  the  day  would  have  been  lost  before  the 
battle  began,  because  Blunt  had  no  troops  within  sup- 
porting distance.  The  Eleventh  Kansas  was  the  near- 
est, and  it  was  a  mile  in  the  rear,  halted  and  waiting 
for  ihe  men  to  close  up.  Colonel  Bassett  and  I,  with 
six  companies  of  the  Second  and  Stover's  guns,  were 
in  the  rear  of  the  Eleventh,  and  the  rest  of  the  troops 
were  still  in  our  rear.  Colonel  Cloud  and  I  had  been 
over  that  road  about  two  weeks  before,  and  knew  the 
danger  of  the  position.  When  Blunt  went  forward 
with  Rabb's  battery  and  Fisk's  battalion,  which  was 
no  support  as  against  five  thousand  men,  I  told  Col- 
onels Ewing  and  Bassett  that  Blunt  would  strike  the 
enemy  in  less  than  ten  minutes,  and  urged  them  to  move 
forward  to  his  support.  But  they  did  not  move  until 
the  Rebel  batteries  opened  fire,  when  a  staff  officer 
came  dashing  back  with  orders  for  the  Second  Kansas 
to  the  front. 

I  took  the  six  companies  we  had,  passed  the  Elev- 
enth, and  reached  the  field  in  a  few  minutes.  On  arriv- 
ing General  Blunt  directed  me  to  leave  one  company 
with  him,  and  take  the  other  five  and  move  rapidly  to 
the  enemy's  left  and,  if  possible,  roll  up  his  flank.  In 
executing  this  order,  my  movements  were  accelerated 
by  reason  of  a  Rebel  battery  which  played  on  my  bat- 
talion until  we  were  beyond  their  reach. 

Marmaduke 's  line  —  cavalry,  in  single  rank  —  ex- 
tended northward  from  College  Hill  for  over  a  mile 
without  any  protection  for  his  flank.  I  moved  down  in 


70  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

column  of  fours  at  a  gallop,  wheeled  into  line,  sounded 
the  charge  and  shattered  their  left  into  fragments.  We 
rolled  up  their  flank  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
and  until  checked  by  a  Eebel  battery,  which,  in  turn, 
was  speedily  silenced  by  Hopkins 's  battery,  which  had 
been  sent  to  my  support. 

Meantime  the  remainder  of  our  troops  had  reached 
the  field  and  formed  in  the  centre  and  on  the  left,  with 
Rabb's  battery  in  a  commanding  position,  from  which 
he  was  raining  shot  and  shell  on  the  Rebel  battery  that 
had  played  him  a  dance  early  in  the  morning.  This 
battery  had  no  superior  on  either  side  in  the  Civil 
War;  and  Captain  Rabb  in  action  was  all  that  could 
be  desired. 

One  by  one  Marmaduke's  guns  on  his  right  ceased 
firing,  and  in  his  centre  it  was  but  a  faint  echo  and 
shadow  of  the  bravado  and  dazzling  scenes  of  the  early 
morning.  The  defiant  Rebel  yell  had  dwindled  down 
to  a  sickly  whimper  and  the  plumed  commanders 
seemed  to  be  seeking  places  of  safety.  The  Second 
Kansas  and  Hopkins 's  battery  were  still  pounding 
them  on  the  left,  and  our  infantry  was  not  idle  in  the 
centre. 

With  both  flanks  rolled  up  and  his  centre  steadily 
yielding  ground,  Marmaduke,  thinking  no  doubt  that 
discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valor,  ordered  a  re- 
treat. His  troops,  greatly  demoralized,  fell  back  in  a 
southerly  direction  to  a  body  of  timber  about  a  half- 
mile  from  the  battlefield,  where  he  and  his  officers 
halted  long  enough  for  most  of  his  men  to  find  their 
regiments.  While  they  were  thus  collecting  their  men, 
the  Second  Kansas  and  Hopkins 's  battery  moved 
around  on  a  hill  west  of  them  and  renewed  the  fight; 
they  again  started  on  the  retreat,  with  the  Second  on 
their  flank  and  in  their  rear,  until  they  reached  a  spur 
of  the  Boston  Mountains,  five  miles  distant,  over  which 
the  road  ran. 

On  this  spur  of  the  mountains,  which  was  difficult 


CAMPAIGN  IN   KANSAS  71 

of  ascent,  Marmaduke  halted  and  formed  a  part  of  his 
troops  in  line  to  check  our  advance.  He  stationed  his 
artillery  so  as  to  rake  the  road,  which  made  it  neces- 
sary for  me  to  halt  and  wait  for  reinforcements.  In  a 
short  time  General  Blunt  arrived  with  the  infantry, 
when  we  took  the  hill  by  storm,  and  again  started  the 
Rebels  on  a  trot  with  the  Second  at  their  heels. 

I  held  the  advance  for  two  miles  farther  and  until 
the  Second  was  running  short  of  ammunition,  when 
Colonel  Jewell  and  Major  Campbell,  with  the  Sixth 
Kansas  Cavalry,  came  up  about  4:30  P.  M.  and  asked 
me  to  let  them  take  the  advance.  Thfe  Second  having 
been  in  the  saddle  continuously  for  one  day  and  night 
before  the  battle  began  that  morning,  I  was  more  than 
pleased  to  see  the  Sixth  go  to  the  front.  We  were  then 
approaching  Cove  Creek  Valley  with  the  enemy  in  our 
immediate  front,  contesting  every  available  point. 

The  Sixth  Kansas  was  a  good  regiment,  well  armed 
and  equipped,  and  Jewell  and  Campbell  were  first- 
class  officers.  "When  I  sounded  the  recall,  Jewell  threw 
his  regiment  forward  into  line  and  pressed  the  ene- 
my 's  rear-guard  until  they  were  well  out  in  the  valley. 
The  head  of  Marmaduke 's  retreating  forces  was  by 
this  time  probably  three  or  four  miles  in  advance.  The 
valley  was  narrow,  and  the  winding  of  the  creek  back 
and  forth  across  the  road  afforded  many  opportunities 
for  a  skilful  officer,  like  Joe  Shelby,  to  form  ambus- 
cades and  check  his  pursuers;  and  that  is  just  what 
he  did. 

Colonel  Jewell,  after  reaching  the  valley  with  a 
fresh  regiment,  got  tired  of  being  held  back  by  what 
seemed  to  be  a  light  rear-guard,  and  made  up  his  mind, 
no  doubt,  to  drive  it  in  on  the  main  force.  Meantime 
Marmaduke  was  tired  of  being  pursued,  and  ready  to 
do  anything  that  would  give  him  relief.  Finding  a 
suitable  place  to  ambush  our  advance,  he  stationed  a 
force  behind  some  bushes  along  the  bank  of  the  creek, 
which  at  that  place  ran  parallel  with  the  road  for  a 


72  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

short  distance;  and  he  placed  a  few  men  in  the  road 
farther  along.  When  Colonel  Jewell  saw  the  decoy 
men  in  the  road,  as  I  was  informed,  he  ordered  a 
charge;  and  as  he  and  his  men  were  passing  the  am- 
buscade, they  received  a  volley,  which  killed  Jewell 
and  a  number  of  his  men,  and  wounded  most  of  the 
others  in  his  charging  party ;  perhaps  twenty  in  all. 

This  was  the  closing  scene  of  the  battle  of  Cane 
Hill,  which  began  awkwardly,  was  fought  and  won  gal- 
lantly, and  ended  unfortunately.  The  Second  Kansas 
bivouacked  in  Cove  Creek  Valley  where  the  battle 
ended,  and  the  next  day  returned  to  Cane  Hill  and 
went  into  camp. 

BATTLE  OP  THE  BOSTON  MOUNTAINS,   DECEMBER  6,   1862 

On  the  third  of  December,  five  days  after  the  battle 
of  Cane  Hill,  I  was  sent  down  the  Cove  Creek  Road  in 
the  direction  of  Van  Buren  with  a  battalion  of  the 
Second  Kansas  to  reconnoitre  the  country  and  ascer- 
tain, if  possible,  the  whereabouts  of  the  Confederate 
forces  of  Generals  Hindman  and  Marmaduke,  who 
were  reported  as  advancing  to  attack  General  Blunt 
at  Cane  Hill.  I  reached  Lee 's  Creek,  twenty-five  miles 
distant,  late  in  the  afternoon  and  met  a  scouting  party 
of  the  enemy,  which  after  a  slight  skirmish  retreated 
southward  on  the  Van  Buren  Road.  Returning  to  Cane 
Hill,  I  reported  to  General  Blunt  at  one  o'clock  that 
night. 

The  next  day  Captain  Russell  was  sent  with  a  bat- 
talion of  the  Second  over  the  same  road  for  a  like  pur- 
pose. He  met  the  enemy's  advance  or  outpost  near 
Lee's  Creek  and  skirmished  with  them  until  dark,  try- 
ing to  ascertain  if  the  enemy  was  there  in  force.  Dur- 
ing the  night  he  returned  to  camp  and  reported  his 
discoveries  to  General  Blunt. 

On  Friday  morning,  December  5,  having  been  or- 
dered by  General  Blunt,  in  person,  to  take  a  battalion 
of  the  Second  and  move  down  the  Cove  Creek  Road 


CAMPAIGN    IN    KANSAS  73 

until  checked  by  a  superior  force,  and  then  reconnoitre 
until  I  learned  to  a  certainty  the  strength  and  move- 
ments of  the  enemy,  I  left  camp  at  daylight  with  se- 
lected officers  and  troops,  and  moved  as  directed. 

About  noon  we  met  the  enemy's  advance  guard 
some  ten  miles  below  where  we  entered  the  valley,  and 
advanced  cautiously,  as  the  guard  slowly  retreated, 
until  we  sighted  a  heavy  body  of  cavalry  moving  at  a 
steady  gait.  From  their  action  I  knew  it  was  the  ad- 
vance of  Hindman's  army.  As  they  advanced,  I  fell 
back  slowly,  trying  to  determine  their  numbers.  The 
winding  road  afforded  a  good  opportunity  for  this; 
and  as  nearly  as  I  could  estimate,  they  had  about  a 
thousand  men.  Beyond  them  we  could  dimly  see  the 
head  of  the  main  column,  but  every  movement  of  their 
advance  showed  that  an  army  was  behind  them. 
Finally  they  halted,  dismounted,  and  were  apparently 
preparing  to  go  into  camp.  Then  we  moved  back  about 
four  miles  to  our  picket  post,  which  I  strengthened 
with  two  additional  companies  of  cavalry, —  Captains 
Gardner  and  Mathews, —  and  then  dismounted  the  bat- 
talion to  await  developments. 

At  dark  I  sent  Lieutenant  Moore  with  twenty  men 
down  the  mountain  road  parallel  with  and  overlooking 
the  valley,  in  which  the  enemy  was  encamped.  After 
advancing  six  or  seven  miles  and  reaching  a  viewpoint 
opposite  the  centre  of  the  enemy's  camp,  he  returned 
and  reported  camp-fires  burning  brightly  up  and  down 
the  valley  as  far  as  he  could  see.  That  was  evidence 
conclusive,  proof  positive,  that  Hindman  was  there 
with  a  large  army.  After  telling  Captain  Gardner  that 
he  would  be  attacked  at  daylight,  and  promising  to 
have  reinforcements  there  before  that  time,  I  returned 
to  camp  and  reported  to  General  Blunt  at  one  o'clock 
in  the  morning  of  December  6. 

Having  previously  become  satisfied  that  Generals 
Hindman  and  Marmaduke  had  united  their  forces  and 
were  moving  against  him  with  at  least  twenty  thou- 


74  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

sand  men,  General  Blunt  advised  General  Curtis,  at 
St.  Louis,  of  the  fact,  and  asked  for  reinforcements. 
General  Curtis  immediately  directed  General  Herron, 
who  was  encamped  near  Springfield,  Missouri,  to  move 
with  two  divisions  by  forced  marches  to  Blunt 's  sup- 
port. Herron  moved  promptly  and  kept  Blunt  ad- 
vised of  his  progress. 

With  Hindman  's  army  only  ten  miles  distant,  Blunt 
should  have  fallen  back  on  the  Fayetteville  road  until 
he  met  Herron;  but  he  was  stubborn  and  would  not 
yield.  He  thought  he  could  hold  Hindman  in  check 
until  Herron  arrived,  and  then  fight  the  battle  near 
Cane  Hill.  I  told  him  it  was  risky ;  that  our  cavalry- 
post  in  Cove  Creek  Valley  would  be  driven  in  at  day- 
light, unless  strongly  reinforced,  and  that  would  open 
the  way  for  Hindman  to  attack  him  before  Herron 
came  up. 

I  told  him  that  I  had  promised  Captain  Gardner,  in 
charge  of  the  picket-post,  that  he  should  be  reinforced 
during  the  night  unless  the  division  fell  back  to  meet 
Herron.  I  told  him  also  that  nothing  short  of  a  regi- 
ment could  hold  that  post  any  length  of  time  against 
Hindman 's  advance.  The  General,  after  considering 
the  situation  a  few  minutes,  sent  an  order  by  me  to 
Colonel  Cloud  to  have  the  post  reinforced  with  one 
hundred  men  and  two  howitzers  before  daylight.  I 
delivered  the  order  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and 
Cloud  immediately  repeated  it  to  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Bassett  of  the  Second  Kansas,  who  in  turn  made  the 
necessary  detail,  with  Captain  Cameron  unfortunately 
in  command.  Instead  of  being  at  the  picket-post,  six 
miles  distant,  at  daylight,  Cameron  with  his  detail  of 
one  hundred  men  did  not  leave  camp  until  after 
sunrise. 

Sure  enough,  at  daylight,  the  post  was  attacked  by 
an  overwhelming  force,  and  Captain  Gardner  was  com- 
pelled to  fall  back,  but  he  contested  every  foot  of  the 
ground  until  I  reached  him  with  a  battalion  of  the  Sec- 


CAMPAIGN   IN   KANSAS  75 

ond,  when  we  checked  and  forced  them  into  line. 
While  they  were  forming,  the  remainder  of  the  Second 
Kansas,  and  also  a  battalion  of  the  Eleventh  Kansas 
Infantry,  came  up,  and  then  a  fight  for  the  possession 
of  the  hill  began  in  earnest. 

The  real  fighting  forces  on  each  side  were  about 
equal  in  numbers,  and  occupied  all  the  open  space 
available  for  cavalry  on  top  of  the  hill  or  spur  of  the 
Boston  Mountains.  Hindman  with  his  army  was  over 
in  the  valley  two  miles  back,  waiting  for  his  cavalry  to 
open  the  road,  that  he  might  advance  on  Cane  Hill  and 
strike  Blunt,  before  Her r on  (who  was  yet  twenty-five 
miles  away)  could  arrive.  My  orders  from  General 
Blunt  were  to  hold  the  hill  at  all  hazards,  but  not  to 
bring  on  a  general  engagement. 

Colonel  Shelby,  who  was  commanding  the  Eebel 
cavalry  opposed  to  us,  as  he  afterwards  told  me,  was 
ordered  to  take  the  hill  regardless  of  consequences. 
Having  fought  all  morning  with  determination  and  lost 
more  than  he  gained,  Shelby  determined  to  change  his 
tactics,  and  in  the  afternoon  he  made  two  unsuccessful 
charges,  which  were  repulsed  with  heavy  loss  to  him. 
Becoming  desperate,  General  Hindman  sent  Colonel 
Emmet  McDonald,  the  long-haired  Greek  of  Boonsboro 
fame,  with  his  regiment  to  lead  and  show  Joe  Shelby 
how  to  do  it. 

While  they  were  forming  a  line  for  their  last  des- 
perate charge,  which  they  hoped  would  sweep  the  field 
clean,  I  dismounted  five  companies  of  the  Second  and 
formed  them  in  line  with  three  companies  of  the  Elev- 
enth Kansas  Infantry,  and  then  stationed  the  other  five 
companies  of  the  Second  on  the  right  in  column  of 
fours,  ready  to  go  left-front  into  line  for  a  counter- 
charge; then  I  awaited  results.  Emmet  and  Joe  had 
their  line  formed  all  right  about  six  hundred  yards  in 
our  front,  with  a  few  scattering  trees  intervening,  but 
they  seemed  to  hesitate  in  sounding  the  charge.  Shelby 
had  already  made  two  charges  during  the  day,  and 


76  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

was  tired.  But  Emmet  was  fresh  and  eager  for  the 
fray.  Still  they  did  not  move. 

After  waiting  quite  a  while  I  sent  Captain  Russell 
with  a  few  picked  men,  and  Captain  Tough  with  his 
scouts,  forward  to  stir  things  up.  They  moved  out  in 
front  of  the  Rebel  line  and  opened  fire.  That  was  im- 
pudence that  Southern  chivalry  could  not  endure. 
Some  fellow  from  Pike  County  gave  a  whoop,  which 
brought  forth  that  old  discordant  sound  known  as  the 
Rebel  yell,  and  that  in  turn  infused  courage  sufficient 
to  enable  them  to  make  a  start.  At  first  they  moved 
slowly,  then  they  increased  their  speed  until  they  came 
within  forty  yards  of  our  line,  when  they  received  a 
most  deadly  volley,  which  stopped  their  music  and  sent 
many  of  them  to  the  happy  hunting-grounds.  Those 
who  were  not  killed  or  wounded  went  back  faster  than 
they  came,  followed  closely  by  the  reserve  battalion 
of  the  Second,  until  the  field  was  cleared  in  the  other 
direction. 

That  was  the  end  of  our  fighting  on  Saturday,  De- 
cember 6,  and  settled  the  question  as  to  who  were  en- 
titled to  the  possession  of  the  hill.  It  was  a  hard, 
bloody  fight  in  proportion  to  the  numbers  engaged,  but 
it  had  to  be  made  to  save  Blunt 's  division.  Finding 
it  impossible  to  open  the  road  and  cross  his  army  over 
the  hill  to  attack  Blunt 's  division,  General  Hindman 
during  the  night  moved  forward  on  the  wire  road  to 
Prairie  Grove. 

BATTLE  OF  PRAIRIE  GROVE,  DECEMBER  7,  1862 

After  the  battle  of  the  sixth  I  remained  on  the  field 
with  a  part  of  the  Second  Kansas  until  eleven  o'clock 
at  night,  when  I  was  ordered  to  report  to  General  Blunt 
at  Cane  Hill.  On  arriving  at  his  headquarters  about 
one  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  December  7,  the  day  of 
the  Prairie  Grove  battle,  I  found  him  asleep  on  his  cot ; 
but  he  awoke  suddenly  and  moved  actively  until  the 
close  of  the  pending  battle  on  that  eventful  day.  I  told 


CAMPAIGN   IN   KANSAS  77 

him  of  the  operations  at  the  front  during  the  day ;  of 
the  desperation  of  the  enemy  in  trying  to  take  the  hill ; 
of  the  cavalry  charges  of  Colonel  Shelby,  repeatedly 
made  and  successfully  resisted;  of  the  last  desperate 
charge  made  by  Shelby  and  McDonald,  and  of  our 
countercharge  which  cleared  the  field  of  the  enemy  ex- 
cept their  dead  and  wounded.  I  told  him  also  that 
Hindman  had  changed  his  plan  of  crossing  over  to  Cane 
Hill  and  was  at  that  moment  moving  north  on  the  Fay- 
etteville  Eoad,  evidently  with  the  intention  of  getting 
between  him  and  Herron. 

About  half -past  one  o'clock,  just  as  I  was  conclud- 
ing my  report,  Colonel  Wickersham  of  the  Tenth  Illi- 
nois Cavalry  came  in  and  reported  sixteen  hundred 
cavalry  from  Herron 's  two  divisions.  Without  con- 
sidering the  matter,  General  Blunt  immediately  or- 
dered him  to  move  due  east  six  miles  on  the  Hog  Eye 
Road  and  attack  Hindman  vigorously  on  the  flank. 
Wickersham  had  just  completed  a  forced  march  of 
ninety  miles  and  he  told  the  General  that  his  men  and 
horses  must  have  rest  and  something  to  eat.  General 
Blunt  then  changed  his  order  and  sent  a  staff  officer 
to  show  him  where  to  camp  and  see  that  he  was  sup- 
plied with  rations  and  forage. 

Later,  during  the  night,  General  Blunt  sent  Col- 
onel Eichardson  with  the  Fourteenth  Missouri  Cavalry 
and  Captain  Conkey's  company  of  the  Third  Wiscon- 
sin Cavalry,  with  instructions  to  attack  Hindman 's  col- 
umn at  any  available  point.  Richardson  moved 
promptly,  but  before  reaching  the  enemy  he  met  Cap- 
tain Coleman  of  the  Ninth  Kansas  Cavalry  with  his 
company,  who  had  been  on  picket  at  the  junction  of  the 
Hog  Eye  and  Fayetteville  Roads,  and  driven  back  by 
the  advance  of  Hindman 's  army.  Richardson  then 
halted  and  reported  the  situation  to  General  Blunt, 
who  immediately  ordered  Colonel  Judson  with  the 
Sixth  Kansas  Cavalry  and  two  howitzers  to  reinforce 
Richardson  and  attack  Hindman.  Judson  did  not 


78  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

reach  the  Fayetteville  Road  until  about  eight  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  when  the  rear  of  Hindman's  army 
was  passing,  and  his  advance  fighting  Herron  at 
Prairie  Grove. 

After  reporting  to  General  Blunt  at  one  o'clock 
A.  M.,  I  returned  to  the  front,  and  at  daylight  on  the 
morning  of  the  seventh  I  was  on  the  hill  where  the 
fighting  had  ceased  the  evening  before.  Everything 
was  quiet  and  the  enemy  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  At 
nine  o  'clock  in  the  morning  I  heard  Judson  's  howitzers 
apparently  about  three  miles  to  the  north  on  the  Fay- 
etteville Road.  I  was  satisfied  then,  as  I  now  know, 
that  he  was  shelling  Hindman's  rear-guard. 

Blunt 's  baggage  train,  escorted  by  Salomon's  brig- 
ade,  had  been  ordered  to  Bhea's  Mills  as  a  place  of 
safety.  About  ten  o  'clock  the  brigade  of  Colonel  Wick- 
ersham  was  started  from  Cane  Hill  in  the  direction  of 
Prairie  Grove  where  Herron 's  two  divisions  were  fight- 
ing Hindman's  whole  army.  The  Second  Kansas  was 
left  at  the  front  until  eleven  o  'clock,  when  the  regiment 
moved  and  passed  through  Cane  Hill  at  twelve,  en 
route  for  the  battlefield. 

Prairie  Grove  was  about  eight  miles  northeast  of 
Cane  Hill,  and  Bhea  's  Mills  seven  miles  northwest.  By 
mistake  Wickersham,  followed  by  Weer's  brigade,  took 
the  road  to  Bhea's  Mills  and  lost  a  considerable  amount 
of  time  in  reaching  the  battlefield;  but  when  they  did 
get  there  they  made  up  for  lost  time.  Cloud's  brigade, 
which  was  the  last  to  leave  Cane  Hill,  took  the  right 
road  and  reached  the  field  in  advance  of  the  two  brig- 
ades that  had  started  earlier. 

Herron 's  infantry  and  artillery  and  a  part  of  his 
cavalry  had  reached  Fayetteville  late  the  night  before, 
and  pushed  resolutely  forward  to  join  General  Blunt. 
From  Fayetteville  his  cavalry,  except  Wicker  sham's 
brigade  (which  was  with  Blunt),  took  the  advance  and 
on  reaching  Illinois  Creek  at  the  northeast  corner  of 
Prairie  Grove,  ran  into  the  flower  of  Hindman's  cav- 
alry, under  Marmaduke  and  Joe  Shelby. 


CAMPAIGN  IN   KANSAS  79 

Herron's  cavalry  was  taken  completely  by  sur- 
prise, and  for  an  hour  held  the  hot  end  of  the  poker  as 
a  penalty  for  their  carelessness.  They  were  driven  back 
to  the  infantry  with  a  loss  of  about  three  hundred  men, 
killed,  wounded,  and  captured.  But  this  mishap  was 
not  entirely  attributable  to  the  carelessness  of  the  of- 
ficers. They  were  expecting  every  moment  to  meet 
Blunt 's  division,  instead  of  Hindman's  army. 

When  Shelby  struck  Herron's  infantry  he  saw  an- 
other sight.  The  race  then  was  in  the  other  direction. 
Herron  moved  steadily  forward  with  his  infantry  and 
artillery,  crossed  the  Illinois  Creek,  and  opened  the 
battle  of  Prairie  Grove  in  earnest.  From  eleven  o  'clock 
in  the  morning  until  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  with 
his  two  divisions  of  seven  thousand  men,  he  was  fight- 
ing Hindman  's  army  of  twenty  thousand. 

A  considerable  part  of  Hindman's  infantry,  how- 
ever, was  rather  weak,  and  depended  largely  for  suc- 
cess on  what  was  known  as  the  Eebel  yell.  That  yell 
early  in  the  war  had  more  or  less  effect  on  green  troops, 
but  it  had  long  since  ceased  to  be  potent  in  the  West. 

Herron's  batteries  of  artillery,  being  planted  on 
available  ground,  sent  forth  a  deadly  fire  of  shot,  shell, 
and  canister,  alternately,  as  occasion  required.  His 
solid  veteran  regiments  of  infantry  moved  forward 
to  close  range  and  poured  in  volley  after  volley,  until 
the  Rebel  brigades,  one  after  another,  began  to  weaken. 
Facing  an  army  of  about  three  to  one  in  numbers,  he 
held  his  position  until  Blunt 's  division  reached  the  field 
and  formed  on  his  right. 

That  brought  General  Hindman  to  a  sense  of  his 
misery.  It  was  just  what  he  had  been  manoeuvring  for 
three  days  to  avoid.  His  first  plan  was  to  attack  Blunt 
at  Cane  Hill  and  defeat  him  before  Herron  came  up. 
Failing  in  that,  his  next  plan  was  to  attack  Herron  and 
defeat  him  before  Blunt  could  reach  the  field.  Failing 
in  that,  he  was  now  face  to  face  with  a  condition. 

Blunt  was  there  with  his  division  rapidly  swinging 
into  line.  On  his  right  was  Colonel  Wickersham 's 


80  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

cavalry  brigade,  consisting  of  the  Tenth  Illinois,  First 
Iowa,  Eighth  Missouri,  and  Second  Wisconsin.  On 
Wickersham's  left  was  Colonel  Weer's  brigade,  con- 
sisting of  the  Tenth  Kansas  Infantry,  the  Thirteenth 
Kansas  Infantry  and  a  detachment  of  the  Third  Indian, 
with  Captain  Tenney's  battery  on  Weer's  right.  On 
Weer's  left  were  Colonel  Cloud's  brigade,  the  Eleventh 
Kansas  Infantry,  the  Second  Kansas  Cavalry,  dis- 
mounted, and  the  First  Indian,  dismounted,  with  the 
batteries  of  Captains  Eabb  and  Hopkins  to  the  left- 
rear  of  Blunt 's  line.  To  the  left  of  Cloud's  brigade 
was  Herron's  right  and  in  the  centre  were  Stover's 
howitzers. 

To  meet  this  force  General  Hindman  brought  up  his 
entire  reserve,  consisting  of  the  divisions  of  Generals 
Frost  and  Parsons,  and  also  a  part  of  Marmaduke's 
division,  dismounted.  The  Rebel  line  was  vastly  su- 
perior to  ours  in  point  of  numbers,  but  not  otherwise. 
Hindman,  with  twenty  thousand  men,  had  got  the  worst 
of  the  fight  with  Herron  before  we  reached  the  field; 
and  he  and  his  officers  were  in  disgrace  in  their  own 
estimation.  Blunt  had  allowed  Hindman  to  pass 
around  and  throw  his  army  against  Herron,  who  was 
coming  to  his  relief,  and  he  felt  chagrined  and  des- 
perate. 

No  two  lines  faced  each  other  on  the  battlefield 
during  the  Civil  War,  with  more  fiendish  delight  and 
devilish  determination,  than  did  these  contending 
forces,  from  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  until  after 
dark,  in  the  battle  of  Prairie  Grove.  From  the  begin- 
ning, it  was  give  and  take;  a  square  stand-up  and 
knock-down  fight.  For  three  hours  the  roar  of  cannon, 
the  crash  and  bursting  of  shell,  the  rattle  of  musketry 
and  the  shrieks  of  the  wounded  were  simply  appalling. 
At  one  time  the  fire  was  so  hot  that  Colonel  Wattle's 
battalion  of  Indians  on  my  left  broke  and  fled  to  the 
rear,  leaving  a  gap  between  my  battalion  and  Herron 's 
right,  which  was  speedily  occupied  by  the  Rebels,  and 


CAMPAIGN  IN   KANSAS  81 

for  a  while  I  was  under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  front  and 
flank  at  the  same  time.  But  this  lasted  only  long 
enough  for  the  Twentieth  Iowa  on  Herron's  extreme 
right  to  make  a  half -wheel  and  put  in  a  few  volleys  that 
cleared  the  space.  With  great  fury  the  battle  raged 
all  along  the  line. 

About  sunset  a  Rebel  brigade  made  a  desperate 
charge  in  the  face  of  musketry  and  canister.  They 
were  mowed  down  in  swaths  with  bullets  and  canister, 
as  they  advanced.  In  this  awful  situation  they  sought 
shelter  behind  some  hay  ricks  and  straw  stacks,  where 
they  huddled  like  sheep,  until  Captain  Eabb  fired  the 
hay  and  straw  with  hot  shot,  when  they  were  compelled 
to  retreat  under  a  galling  fire.  This  was  perhaps  the 
bloodiest  part  of  the  field.  At  least  the  great  number 
of  Confederate  dead  and  wounded  that  lay  piled  in 
heaps,  gave  evidence  of  a  terrific  slaughter. 

Just  before  this  last  charge  was  made  by  the  en- 
emy, Eabb  and  Hopkins  had  moved  their  batteries 
forward  in  line  with  the  infantry.  A  short  distance  to 
my  right  Stover's  howitzers  were  in  position.  As  the 
enemy  advanced,  this  artillery  —  twelve  guns  —  opened 
with  canister.  It  was  Hindman's  forlorn  hope,  his 
last  effort;  and  from  a  military  point  of  view,  the 
charge  should  not  have  been  made.  He  should  have 
known  that  the  attempt  would  plunge  his  men  into  the 
very  jaws  of  death.  If  he  did  not  know  it  before,  he 
found  it  out  later,  to  his  sorrow.  When  this  last  en- 
counter ended,  the  moon  was  shining  brightly,  and 
Blunt 's  forces  were  in  line  where  they  had  been  when 
they  went  into  action. 

Hindman  's  forces  having  fallen  back  a  mile  or  more 
over  the  hill,  Blunt  moved  his  division  back  a  short 
distance  on  the  prairie  and  bivouacked  for  the  night, 
expecting  to  renew  the  battle  at  daylight.  During  the 
night  he  removed  his  train  from  Bhea's  Mills  to  Fay- 
etteville  and  brought  up  Salomon's  brigade  of  fresh 
troops  that  had  not  been  in  action  during  the  day.  He 


82  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

also  brought  on  to  the  field  a  good  many  stragglers  and 
straggling  companies,  which,  under  one  pretence  or 
another,  had  dodged  the  battle.  He  also  reorganized 
his  troops  for  the  battle  of  the  next  day. 

His  plan  was  to  draw  Hindman  out  on  to  the  open 
prairie,  so  as  to  give  his  cavalry  a  free  rein.  Every 
detail  for  a  renewal  of  the  battle  was  arranged,  and 
the  troops  —  Blunt 's  division  and  Herron's —  were 
ready  to  go  into  action  at  daylight  on  the  morning  of 
the  eighth.  But  at  daylight  there  was  an  unusual  si- 
lence in  the  direction  of  Hindman 's  camp.  A  few  sol- 
itary horsemen  could  be  seen  here  and  there,  but  no 
sign  of  an  army  in  readiness  for  battle. 

ARMISTICE  EEQUESTED  BY  GENERAL  HINDMAN 

About  sunrise,  when  our  troops  were  ready  to  move 
into  line  of  battle,  General  Marmaduke  appeared  before 
General  Herron's  headquarters,  under  a  flag  of  truce, 
and  requested  an  interview  and  armistice  for  General 
Hindman.  Not  caring  to  grant  the  request  without 
consulting  General  Blunt,  Herron  informed  Marma- 
duke that  he  would  communicate  with  Blunt  and  if 
agreeable  to  him,  they  would  meet  Hindman  at  ten 
o'clock  that  morning.  Marmaduke  returned  to  Hind- 
man's  headquarters  and  Herron  came  over  to  see 
Blunt. 

At  first  they  were  both  averse  to  granting  either  an 
interview  or  an  armistice.  They  both  wanted  to  finish 
the  battle  that  day,  and  bury  the  dead  afterwards. 
But  Marmaduke  had  told  Herron  that  many  of  their 
wounded  were  still  on  the  field,  suffering,  and  he 
wanted  time  to  remove  them.  So  they  finally  concluded 
to  grant  the  interview. 

At  ten  o'clock  they  met  in  the  open  field,  midway 
between  the  two  lines,  and  the  parley  began.  When 
they  first  met,  Hindman  and  Marmaduke  were  full  of 
fight,  and  nothing  but  "  poor,  suffering  humanity, 
spread  over  yonder  bloody  field,  prevented  them  from 


CAMPAIGN   IN   KANSAS  83 

renewing  the  battle  at  daylight  that  morning. ' '  Little 
did  they  know  the  temper  and  bulldog  tenacity  of  the 
two  Generals,  Blunt  and  Herron. 

After  rattling  along  for  a  few  minutes  on  the  line 
of  humanity,  with  a  mixture  of  bluff  and  braggadocio 
occasionally  thrown  in,  General  Hindman  became  elo- 
quent, and  branched  out  into  a  wide  field  of  oratory 
and  the  art  of  war,  foreign  to  the  subject-matter  under 
consideration,  when  General  Blunt  brought  him  up  on 
a  round  turn. 

It  became  apparent  to  Blunt  and  Herron  that  Hind- 
man was  simply  trying  to  kill  time,  and  Blunt  was  not 
slow  in  telling  him  so.  He  asked  Hindman  if  he  had 
not  taken  his  wounded  off  the  field  the  night  before, 
as  he  (Blunt)  had  done;  and  if  not,  why?  General 
Hindman  replied  that  they  had  removed  a  part  of 
their  wounded  but  it  was  so  dark  that  many  could  not 
be  found.  "  Besides,"  he  said,  "  it  is  barbarous  to 
fight '  over  so  many  dead  bodies. "  * '  Yes, ' '  replied 
Blunt,  ' '  but  war  is  barbarous,  and  the  sooner  we  close 
this  battle,  the  less  barbarity  we  shall  have.  How 
much  time  do  you  want?  "  Hindman  replied  that  he 
would  like  to  have  all  day  and  then  renew  the  battle  the 
next  morning.  Blunt  said,  "  No,  General;  it  is  now 
eleven  o  'clock  and  I  will  give  you  until  twelve,  noon. ' ' 
Hindman  then  came  down  off  his  lofty  pinnacle  and 
begged  for  more  time,  when  Blunt  and  Herron  finally 
agreed  that  they  would  give  him  until  four  o'clock 
P.  M.  With  that  understanding  the  interview  closed, 
and  the  several  generals  returned  to  their  respective 
commands. 

At  that  moment  Hindman 's  infantry  and  artillery 
were  fifteen  miles  from  the  field  under  full  retreat  on 
the  road  to  Van  Buren.  His  troops  started  on  the  re- 
treat about  one  o'clock  that  morning,  and  Hindman 
and  Marmaduke  were  playing  false  to  save  their  army. 
Possibly  under  Confederate  ethics,  their  treachery  was 
excusable;  but  under  ordinary  rules  of  civilized  war- 


84  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

fare,  such  conduct  would  be  regarded  as  dishonorable 
among  soldiers,  and  disreputable  among  gentlemen. 

Before  Hindman's  troops  began  to  leave  the  field 
after  the  battle,  they  built  rousing  camp-fires  and  left 
them  burning.  That  was  legitimate  tactics.  But  com- 
ing under  a  flag  of  truce  and  begging,  for  the  sake  of 
humanity,  a  suspension  of  hostilities,  in  order  to  bury 
their  dead  and  care  for  their  wounded,  and  then  run- 
ning way  and  leaving  that  work  for  our  troops  to  per- 
form, was  at  least  tricky,  if  not  heartless. 

From  the  armistice  conference,  Generals  Hindman 
and  Marmaduke,  after  their  requests  had  been  granted 
by  Blunt  and  Herron,  rode  back  through  the  field, 
where  their  dead  were  lying  all  round  and  their 
wounded  suffering  and  begging  for  water  and  medical 
treatment,  without  stopping  to  make  any  provision  for 
them.  They  assembled  their  detachments  of  cavalry 
which  had  been  held  back  as  a  rear-guard  and  imme- 
diately left  the  field. 

Our  troops  buried  the  Confederate  dead  and  gath- 
ered up  their  wounded  and  conveyed  them  to  hospitals 
where  they  were  properly  cared  for. 

REAL   SOLDIERS  AND  POLITICAL,  SOLDIERS 

As  a  general,  Hindman  was  not  a  Stonewall  Jack- 
son. Previous  to  this  battle,  where  he  fought  and  ran 
away,  he  was  encamped  with  more  than  twenty  thou- 
sand men  in  the  vicinity  of  Dripping  Springs  and 
Lee's  Creek,  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles  south  of  Cane 
Hill.  General  Blunt,  with  not  more  than  seven  thou- 
sand, was  encamped  around  Cane  Hill.  General  Her- 
ron, with  seven  thousand  men,  was  encamped  along 
Wilson's  Creek  near  Springfield,  Missouri,  ninety  miles 
away.  After  the  battle  of  Cane  Hill,  General  Hindman 
formed  a  junction  with  General  Marmaduke 's  forces, 
and,  as  everybody  knew,  was  preparing  to  attack  Blunt 
before  reinforcements  could  reach  him. 

But  he  did  not  do  it.    He  let  the  opportunity  go  by, 


CAMPAIGN  IN  KANSAS  85 

as  I  have  already  shown,  and  then  in  a  hesitating  sort 
of  way  concluded  to  regain  lost  opportunities  by  at- 
tacking Herron  while  Blunt  was  yet  at  Cane  Hill. 
This  would  have  been  a  good  stroke,  if  Marmaduke  or 
Joe  Shelby  had  been  in  command;  but  with  Hindman 
at  the  helm,  it  was  simply  another  lost  opportunity. 
Had  the  cavalry  success  of  the  early  morning  been 
supported  by  the  infantry  and  artillery,  Herron  would 
have  been  repulsed,  or  fighting  on  the  defensive,  before 
he  crossed  the  Illinois  Creek.  But  Hindman,  the  poli- 
tician, was  apparently  afraid  to  leave  the  hill,  and 
hence  lost  another  opportunity. 

The  real  soldier  and  the  political  soldier  do  not 
blend.  The  soldier  strikes  when  the  iron  is  hot;  the 
politician  hesitates,  hides  in  the  brush,  and  recon- 
noitres for  a  safe  line  of  retreat.  Both  armies  had  an 
oversufficiency  of  such  officers,  and  as  a  result  many 
a  brave  soldier  lost  his  life.  Hindman  was  simply  one 
of  many ;  but  he  was  a  frightful  example. 

After  the  conference  under  a  flag  of  truce,  whereby 
it  was  agreed  that  hostilities  should  cease  until  4  P. 
M.,  he  rode  away  like  a  plumed  knight  returning  from 
a  victorious  field. 

It  required  no  field-glass  to  see  the  dark  frowns 
of  disgust  and  contempt  all  over  the  resolute  faces  of 
Marmaduke  and  Shelby,  who  had  opened  the  battle 
with  Herron  the  previous  morning  under  such  favor- 
able auspices.  It  required  no  ear-trumpet  to  hear  the 
lightning-like  adjectives  that  flew  from  one  to  an- 
other, when  those  war-scarred  veterans  were  ordered 
by  Hindman  to  sound  the  assembly,  furl  their  flags, 
fold  their  tents,  muffle  their  wheels,  and  steal  silently 
away.  They  would  have  scorned  to  violate  the  obliga- 
tions of  an  agreement  made  under  a  flag  of  truce. 

But  not  so  with  Hindman.  With  him,  anything  was 
fair  in  war.  Even  treachery  and  the  sacrifice  of  his 
word  and  honor,  plighted  amid  the  dead  bodies  of  his 
own  brave  soldiers,  which  lay  scattered  over  the  field. 


86  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

Such  were  the  closing  scenes  of  the  battle  of  Prairie 
Grove.  When  four  o'clock  came,  the  time  set  for  the 
battle  to  be  renewed,  Hindman  and  his  army  were 
only  touching  the  high  places  as  they  went  splashing 
down  Cove  Creek  Valley  and  bounding  over  the  Bos- 
ton Mountains,  twenty-six  miles  away. 

After  burying  the  dead  and  caring  for  the  wounded 
of  both  armies,  General  Blunt 's  troops  returned  to 
their  camps  at  Cane  Hill  and  Rhea  's  Mills ;  and  General 
Herron  went  into  camp  on  the  battlefield. 

Hindman  fell  back  fifty  miles  to  the  Arkansas  River 
and  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Fort  Smith  and  Van 
Buren.  Marmaduke,  Shelby,  and  McDonald,  with 
their  cavalry,  moved  down  the  river  forty  to  sixty 
miles,  and  camped  among  plantations  where  forage 
and  provisions  were  plentiful. 

This  was  thought  by  many  to  be  the  close  of  the 
campaign,  but  it  was  not  so. 


CHAPTER  VH 

RAID  ON  VAN  BUEEN 

CAPTURE    OF    FOUR    STEAMBOATS PURSUIT    OF    REBELS   IN 

SOUTHWEST  MISSOURI. 

ON  the  twenty-sixth  of  December,  Blunt  and  Herron 
moved  with  eight  thousand  men,  three  batteries 
of  artillery,  and  three  sections  of  mountain  howitzers, 
on  an  expedition  to  Van  Buren  and  Fort  Smith,  in  the 
vicinity  of  which  General  Hindman  was  encamped. 
The  first  night  they  camped  on  Lee's  Creek,  twenty- 
five  miles  south  of  Cane  Hill.  The  next  morning  the 
command  moved  at  daylight  with  Colonel  Cloud's 
brigade  in  advance,  the  Second  Kansas  Cavalry 
leading. 

At  Dripping  Springs,  on  our  line  of  march,  fourteen 
miles  north  of  Van  Buren,  a  regiment  of  Texas  cavalry 
was  encamped  with  a  forage  train  of  forty  wagons. 
On  approaching  this  Rebel  camp  I  was  sent  forward 
with  five  companies  of  the  Second  to  drive  in  the  pick- 
ets and  stir  up  the  ' '  bowie-knife  ' '  regiment  generally. 

The  colonel  commanding  knew  of  our  coming,  but 
did  not  know  in  what  force.  He  was  camped  west  of 
the  Van  Buren  Road,  on  the  south  side  of  what  had 
been  a  corn-field  with  a  low  rail-fence  around  it.  He 
had  opened  alternate  panels  of  the  fence  near  his 
camp,  and  formed  one  battalion,  mounted  in  line  of 
battle  along  the  fence  inside  the  field.  Most  of  his 
tents  had  been  struck  and,  with  his  baggage,  etc., 
loaded  in  wagons  which  he  had  started  early  in  the 
morning  on  a  run  for  Van  Buren.  The  other  battalion 
had  been  sent  out  in  rear  of  his  train  and  stood  in  line 
across  the  road  about  a  half-mile  south. 

87 


88  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

When  I  came  over  the  hill  with  my  battalion  from 
the  north,  in  advance  of  all  our  troops,  I  took  in  the 
situation  at  a  glance.  To  the  west  of  the  road,  on  the 
farther  side  of  the  field  and  about  five  hundred  yards 
distant,  stood  this  Texas  battalion  in  line.  Without 
halting,  I  threw  my  battalion  into  columns  of  com- 
panies and  thence  forward  into  line,  which  brought  me 
face  to  face  with  the  Texas  battalion  in  the  field,  with 
a  rail-fence  between  us. 

The  fence  was  about  one  hundred  yards  in  my 
front,  and  without  waiting  to  remove  the  rails  I  or- 
dered the  battalion  to  sling  carbines  and  drew  pistols. 
Then  I  ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  the  trot.  I  was  a 
few  paces  in  front  of  the  battalion  and  when  my  horse 
reached  the  fence,  we  went  over  without  touching.  In 
an  instant  the  battalion  struck  the  fence  abreast  and 
the  rails  flew  in  every  direction,  but  the  men  and  horses 
went  over  without  an  accident  and  without  halting. 
The  line  moved  straight  forward  at  a  steady  trot,  every 
man  with  pistol  in  hand.  At  the  proper  time  I  swung 
around  to  the  rear  of  the  battalion  and  ordered  the 
bugler  to  sound  the  charge.  When  within  about  forty 
paces  our  men  opened  fire,  and  the  Texas  battalion 
broke  and  went  back  through  the  panels  of  the  fence 
that  had  previously  been  laid  down,  and  retreated  in 
disorder  to  the  other  battalion  a  half-mile  in  the  rear. 

Just  then  Colonel  Cloud  with  the  other  battalion  of 
the  Second  dashed  past  on  the  main  road,  and  reaching 
the  Texas  battalion  in  line  across  the  road,  broke  them 
with  a  charge  which  was  repeated  time  and  again 
until  he  began  to  pass  the  wagons ;  and  then  it  was  a 
running  cavalry  fight  over  a  rough  country  until  Cloud 
had  captured  thirty-eight  of  the  enemy's  wagons  loaded 
with  camp  and  garrison  equipage. 

When  Cloud  passed  to  the  front,  Lieutenant-Col- 
onel Bassett  came  up  and  took  command  of  my  bat- 
talion, and  instead  of  joining  Cloud  on  the  main  road, 
moved  off  on  a  bypath  and  became  entangled  in  a 
dense  forest.  This  kept  us  out  of  the  fight  from  Drip- 


RAID   ON   VAN    BUREN  89 

ping  Springs  to  within  a  mile  of  Van  Buren.  There 
we  rejoined  Cloud  and  participated  in  a  skirmish  at 
Log  Town,  which  was  the  last  stand  made  by  the  Texas 
regiment  on  that  eventful  day.  When  they  broke  at 
Log  Town,  the  men  rushed  pell-mell  down  a  cut  road 
along  the  side  of  a  steep  hill  into  the  head  of  Van 
Buren  Street,  which  led  straight  to  the  river.  That 
was  the  last  we  saw  of  the  "  bowie-knife  "  regiment. 

CAPTURE   OF   FOUR   STEAMBOATS 

Log  Town  was  a  village  of  a  dozen  shanties,  stand- 
ing on  a  high  hill  overlooking  Van  Buren  and  the 
beautiful  Arkansas  valley,  with  Fort  Smith  dimly  seen 
five  miles  away.  Here  we  captured  the  last  but  one 
of  their  forty  wagons;  and  over  in  the  river,  in  full 
view,  lay  four  fine  steamboats  loaded  with  supplies 
for  Hindman  's  army. 

The  enemy  having  vanished  after  the  Log  Town 
skirmish,  Colonel  Cloud  ordered  his  regiment  forward 
down  the  hill,  and  then  down  Van  Buren  Street,  in  col- 
umn of  companies,  at  a  swift  gallop  to  the  river. 
Meantime  the  ferry-boat,  crowded  with  Confederate 
officers,  was  in  midstream  pulling  for  the  south  shore, 
and  the  steamboats  were  steering  down  the  river.  One 
had  got  up  stream  and  was  a  half-mile  away,  while  the 
others  were  not  so  far  from  shore.  Colonel  Cloud  see- 
ing the  situation,  ordered  Stover  with  his  howitzers 
forward  at  a  run  and  opened  on  the  ferry-boat,  stop- 
ping it  in  midstream;  but  the  Rebel  officers  and  men 
aboard  leaped  into  the  river  and  made  good  their 
escape. 

While  this  was  going  on,  I  moved  my  battalion  rap- 
idly down  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  and  throwing 
one  company  after  another  into  line  opposite  three  of 
the  steamers,  opened  on  the  pilots  and  brought  them 
in.  The  other  boat  by  this  time  was  rounding  the  bend 
a  mile  and  a  half  southeast  of  Van  Buren,  where  the 
river  turns  and  runs  northward  for  about  a  mile. 

At  this  critical  moment  Cloud  came  up  with  Stover 's 


90  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

howitzers,  and  having  been  informed  as  to  the  bend  in 
the  river  and  the  cut-off  road,  ordered  me  to  bring  my 
battalion,  and  started  with  Stover's  howitzers,  under 
whip  and  spur,  across  the  bend  to  head  off  the  boat. 
The  distance  to  the  north  bend  in  the  river  from  where 
the  steamboat  then  was,  and  from  our  starting  point, 
was  about  the  same.  So  it  was  a  sure-enough  race. 
Like  Hindman's  retreat  from  Prairie  Grove,  the  Sec- 
ond Kansas  only  touched  the  high  places.  Stover's 
horses  and  howitzers  were  in  the  air  quite  as  much  as 
on  the  ground,  but  we  were  there  in  time.  When  we 
whirled  into  line  facing  the  river,  the  boat,  under  a 
heavy  pressure  of  steam,  was  about  six  hundred  yards 
away.  It  was  puffing,  heaving,  and  setting  as  though 
the  life  of  the  Confederacy  were  at  stake. 

At  the  proper  distance  Colonel  Cloud  directed  Lieu- 
tenant Stover  to  level  one  of  his  guns  and  send  a  shot 
across  the  bow.  This  was  the  first  intimation  the  cap- 
tain of  the  boat  had  that  he  was  still  in  durance  vile. 
Another  shot  brought  him  to,  and  he  rounded  his  boat 
near  to  shore  and  threw  out  the  gangway.  Colonel 
Cloud,  with  a  guard  of  twenty  men,  went  on  board, 
took  possession  of  the  boat,  pulled  down  the  Confed- 
erate flag  and  steamed  up  the  river  to  Van  Buren.  I 
returned  overland  with  my  battalion  and  Stover's 
howitzers,  and  picked  up  en  route  the  last  of  the  en- 
emy's forty  wagons,  which  had  left  Dripping  Springs 
that  morning. 

In  passing  through  Van  Buren  in  the  evening,  Gen- 
eral Hindman,  across  the  river,  turned  a  battery  on 
my  battalion  and  one  of  his  shells  exploded  over  our 
heads,  killing  one  man  and  wounding  a  number  of 
horses,  my  own  horse  included.  The  next  day  Colonel 
Cloud  was  ordered  with  his  regiment  on  a  reconnoit- 
ring expedition  down  the  river  for  a  distance  of 
twenty-five  miles,  and  we  did  not  return  until  ten 
o  'clock  at  night. 

During  the  day  Generals  Blunt  and  Herron  had 


RAID  ON  VAN   BUEEN  91 

burned  the  captured  steamers  to  the  water's  edge  and 
started  back  on  the  return  to  Cane  Hill  and  Prairie 
Grove.  The  Second  camped  at  Van  Buren  that  night 
and  left  the  next  morning,  bringing  up  the  rear. 
The  next  night  we  camped  at  Dick  Oliver's  ranch  on 
Lee 's  Creek,  and  the  next  afternoon  we  reached  our  old 
camp  at  Cane  Hill.  This  was  the  close  of  the  campaign 
of  1862,  which,  from  the  day  General  Blunt  left  Fort 
Scott,  until  he  returned  from  Van  Buren,  was  in  every 
way  a  complete  success. 

On  the  thirty-first  of  December,  General  Schofield, 
having  returned  from  sick-leave,  again  assumed  com- 
mand of  the  Frontier  Army  and  ordered  Blunt 's  divi- 
sion to  Elm  Springs  and  Herron's  two  divisions  to 
Fayetteville,  Arkansas.  On  the  first  of  January,  1863, 
I  was  detailed  on  a  General  Court-martial  which  con- 
vened at  Fayetteville  on  January  2,  and  held  sessions 
at  Huntsville,  Arkansas,  Cassville,  Flat  Rock,  and 
Springfield,  Missouri.  On  March  12,  1863,  our  Court- 
martial  was  dissolved,  and  the  officers  composing  the 
same  were  sent  back  to  their  respective  regiments. 

The  Second  Kansas  was  then  at  Springfield,  and 
Colonel  Cloud  was  commanding  the  Southwest  Dis- 
trict of  Missouri.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Bassett  and 
Majors  Blair  and  Fisk  were  on  detached  service;  so, 
being  the  ranking  officer  present,  I  assumed  command 
of  the  regiment.  Having  been  in  winter  quarters  since 
early  in  January,  the  regiment  was  not  in  proper  con- 
dition for  active  service.  My  first  effort  was  to  call 
in  the  men  who  were  absent  on  furlough  or  detached 
service,  and  next,  to  secure  horses  for  a  remount  of 
the  regiment.  These  two  important  matters  having 
been  accomplished,  the  Second  Kansas  Cavalry  was 
again  ready  for  the  field. 

PUBSUIT  OF  REBELS  IN  SOUTHWEST  MISSOURI 

On  the  eighteenth  of  May  I  received  an  order  from 
Colonel  Cloud,  commanding  the  Southwest  District  of 


92  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

Missouri,  to  be  in  readiness  to  move  the  next  morn- 
ing on  an  expedition  against  General  Stand  Watie 
and  Colonel  Coffey  of  Confederate  fame,  who  were 
ravaging  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  Neosho  and 
Carthage. 

On  the  morning  of  the  nineteenth,  I  moved  as  di- 
rected and  reached  Dug  Springs,  twenty-five  miles 
distant,  in  the  evening.  When  within  about  three  miles 
of  these  springs,  I  took  Dr.  Eoot,  Chaplain  Wines,  and 
one  of  our  scouts,  and  moved  forward  to  select  a  suit- 
able place  for  camping.  Having  selected  the  ground  on 
which  to  camp,  we  all  dismounted  at  one  of  the  springs 
near  the  road  to  wait  for  the  command  to  come  up, — 
all  except  our  scout,  who,  being  familiar  with  that 
part  of  the  country,  felt  perfectly  at  ease.  In  a  few 
minutes,  however,  we  saw  a  party  of  four  men  and 
two  women  in  the  valley  but  a  short  distance  from  us. 
Being  accompanied  by  women,  we  naturally  took  them 
to  be  Union  people  going  from  Cassville  to  Springfield, 
and  thought  no  more  of  it.  But  our  scout  was  not  so 
easily  satisfied.  He  rode  out  within  speaking  distance 
of  them,  and  getting  no  satisfaction,  called  to  me, 
"  Come  over!  " 

We  looked  and  saw  that  they  were  dressed  in  the 
bushwhacker's  garb,  and  seemed  to  be  heavily  armed 
and  well  mounted.  There  were  four  of  us;  but  our 
chaplain  and  Dr.  Eoot  had  no  guns.  We  mounted  our 
horses  and  rode  directly  up  to  them  with  pistols  in 
hand.  I  asked  the  leader  of  the  party  who  they  were 
and  where  they  belonged.  Receiving  what  I  regarded 
as  an  evasive  answer,  I  then  said,  "  Consider  your- 
selves prisoners  of  war.  Dismount  and  hand  your 
guns  to  that  man,"  pointing  to  Dr.  Eoot. 

The  leader,  who  had  nerve,  said,  "  No,"  and  reached 
for  his  pistol.  That  left  me  no  alternative  but  to  fire, 
which  I  did,  striking  a  rib  on  his  left  side.  We  then 
both  fired  the  same  instant  aijd,  on  account  of  our 


RAID  ON   VAN   BUREN  93 

fractious  horses,  both  missed.  My  next  shot  went 
through  his  thigh,  and  his  second  grazed  my  cheek. 
He  then  wheeled  his  horse  and  tried  to  escape,  but  was 
speedily  brought  back,  badly,  but  not  dangerously, 
wounded.  The  other  three  men  surrendered,  and  all 
were  sent  back  to  Springfield  the  next  morning  as 
prisoners. 

Subsequent  to  this  episode,  Colonel  Cloud  arrived 
with  the  remainder  of  his  brigade,  and  during  the 
evening  informed  his  officers  of  the  object  and  purpose 
of  the  expedition.  His  plan  of  campaign  was  to  move 
to  Bentonville,  Arkansas,  and  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the 
Rebels  operating  around  Neosho  and  Carthage.  We 
made  a  forced  march  from  Dug  Springs  to  Benton- 
ville and  thence  to  Pineville,  Missouri,  where  we 
bivouacked  during  the  night  of  May  21. 

On  the  twenty-second  we  moved  to  Neosho  where 
we  struck  a  body  of  Stand  Watie  's  men,  who  formed  in 
a  valley  west  of  town  and  made  a  demonstration  as 
though  they  were  spoiling  for  a  fight.  Stand  Watie 
was  there  in  person,  with  feathers  in  his  cap,  thinking 
that  it  was  Pin  Indians  he  had  to  fight.  While  he  was 
forming  his  braves  in  line,  Colonel  Cloud  pushed  for- 
ward a  section  of  Eabb's  battery  on  a  low  hill  within 
easy  range  of  Stand  Watie 's  position,  but  hidden  from 
view.  Then  sending  a  battalion  of  Missouri  cavalry 
around  on  his  left  and  a  battalion  of  the  Second  Kan- 
sas to  his  right,  he  opened  fire  with  his  artillery.  That 
took  the  breath  out  of  the  Indians.  They  did  not  stand 
on  the  order  of  going;  they  simply  flew  down  the  val- 
ley, past  Seneca,  and  thence  onward,  right  onward,  into 
the  Spavin  Hills. 

I  changed  front,  and  was  in  readiness  to  give  them 
a  volley  as  they  passed,  but  the  Missouri  troops  were 
so  close  on  their  heels,  that  I  dared  not  fire.  This  was 
the  end  of  Stand  Watie  in  Missouri  for  many  moons. 
From  the  Spavin  Hills,  he  threw  himself  under  the 


94  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

protecting  wings  of  General  Cooper,  south  of  the 
Arkansas. 

From  the  scene  of  this  ludicrous  display,  Colonel 
Cloud  moved  on  to  Diamond  Grove  where  he  separated 
his  command  by  taking  most  of  the  cavalry  and  going 
west  in  pursuit  of  Colonel  Coffey,  who  was  then  en- 
camped on  Shoal  Creek  south  of  where  Joplin  now 
stands,  and  sending  me  with  one  battalion  and  the  ar- 
tillery northward  in  the  direction  of  the  Lamar  Road. 
The  Colonel  struck  Coffey  where  he  expected,  and 
after  a  running  fight  of  several  miles  drove  him  across 
Shoal  Creek  into  the  jungle  east  of  Spring  River,  where 
at  that  time,  the  wolves,  bushwhackers,  and  all  sorts 
of  vermin  made  themselves  at  home.  After  recon- 
noitring the  country  north  of  Spring  Eiver,  I  rejoined 
Colonel  Cloud  at  Carthage  and  accompanied  him  back 
to  Springfield. 

All  in  all,  the  expedition  was  both  pleasant  and  suc- 
cessful. It  was  very  like  chasing  jack  rabbits  on  the 
plains,  and  fraught  with  about  as  much  danger.  Of 
all  the  makeshifts  and  disreputable,  false  pretenders 
that  ever  hung  on  the  flanks  of  a  respectable  army, 
Stand  Watie  and  his  gang  were  the  worst.  As  soldiers, 
they  were  cowards,  thieves,  and  cut-throats.  They 
would  skulk  and  hide  in  the  brush  when  the  battle  was 
on,  and  when  it  was  over  they  would  sneak  on  to  the 
field  and  murder  and  scalp  our  wounded.  When  caught 
out  alone,  one  shot  from  Stover 's  howitzers  would  put 
a  thousand  of  them  to  flight,  and  two  shells  would  send 
Stand  Watie 's  whole  brigade  back  to  Boggy  Depot. 

And  yet  such  men  as  Generals  Price,  Kirby  Smith, 
Marmaduke,  and  Joe  Shelby  permitted  them  to  prowl 
in  their  rear  and  disgrace  their  troops.  Such  barbar- 
ians should  not  have  been  permitted  to  camp  even 
among  the  wild  tribes  of  the  plains,  much  less  among 
civilized  soldiers.  But  such  was  their  custom  and  such 
a  custom  helped  to  bring  disaster  to  those  who  tol- 
erated it. 


CHAPTER 


EXPEDITION  TO  CHOCTAW  NATION CAPTURE  OF  FORT 

SMITH 


BATTLE  OF  PERRYVILLE BATTLE  OF  THE  BACKBONE  MOUN- 
TAINS,  SEPTEMBER   1,    1863 OCCUPYING   FORT    SMITH 

ADIEU  TO  THE  SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY. 

ON  the  last  day  of  December,  1862,  Generals  Blunt 
and  Herron  closed  their  brilliant  campaign  of  the 
year  at  Van  Buren,  on  the  Arkansas  Eiver,  in  sight  of 
Fort  Smith.  But  then  they  were  far  from  their  base 
of  supplies,  and  deemed  it  advisable  to  move  back  to 
Springfield,  Fort  Scott,  and  Fort  Gibson  for  winter 
quarters. 

When  Blunt  and  Herron  moved  back  to  winter 
quarters,  the  Confederate  forces  again  moved  up  and 
occupied  Little  Rock,  Fort  Smith,  and  Fort  Davis,  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Arkansas  River.  General  Holmes 
commanded  at  Little  Rock,  General  Cabell  at  Fort 
Smith,  and  General  Cooper  at  Fort  Davis,  with  Stand 
Watie's  Indians  scattered  over  the  Indian  Territory 
in  search  of  something  to  eat. 

General  Blunt  was  at  Fort  Scott  preparing  for  a 
summer  campaign  south  of  the  Arkansas.  During  the 
winter  and  early  spring,  nothing,  from  a  military  point 
of  view,  was  doing.  But  on  July  6,  General  Blunt  left 
Fort  Scott  with  a  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Frontier 
and  arrived  at  Fort  Gibson,  July  11.  On  the  sixteenth 
he  crossed  the  Arkansas  River,  and  on  the  seventeenth 
attacked  General  Cooper  at  Honey  Springs  in  the 
Creek  country.  After  a  sharp  engagement  of  two 
hours,  he  routed  and  drove  the  Confederate  forces  from 
the  field  with  heavy  losses.  A  few  hours  after  the  bat- 

95 


96  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

tie,  and  while  on  the  retreat  southward,  General  Cooper 
was  reinforced  by  General  Cabell  from  Fort  Smith, 
with  a  brigade  of  cavalry  and  four  pieces  of  artillery ; 
but  they  did  not  return  to  the  battlefield.  After  a 
brief  consultation,  they  moved  on  to  the  Canadian 
River  to  await  reinforcements  en  route  from  Texas. 

General  Blunt  camped  on  the  battlefield  until  the 
next  day,  when  he  moved  back  to  Fort  Gibson  to  pre- 
pare for  an  expedition  through  the  Choctaw  Country 
to  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas.  On  arriving  at  Fort  Gibson, 
he  sent  orders  to  Colonel  Cloud  at  Springfield,  and 
others  of  his  old  division,  to  join  him  at  that  place. 
Cloud's  brigade  consisted  of  the  Second  Kansas  Cav- 
alry, the  Sixth  Missouri  Cavalry,  the  First  Arkansas 
Infantry,  the  Second  Indiana  battery,  and  Stover's 
howitzers.  When  the  order  was  received  to  join  Blunt 
at  Fort  Gibson,  Cloud's  brigade  was  in  the  field  in 
Southwest  Missouri  and  Northwest  Arkansas.  Con- 
centrating at  Fayetteville,  we  marched  by  way  of  Tah- 
lequah  and  arrived  at  Gibson  on  August  21. 

While  General  Blunt  was  concentrating  his  troops  at 
Fort  Gibson  for  a  forward  movement,  Generals  Cooper 
and  Cabell  were  encamped  on  the  Canadian  River. 
After  resting  a  few  days,  General  Cabell  took  his 
brigade  and  returned  to  Fort  Smith,  leaving  Cooper  at 
the  mercy  of  the  elements  and  the  enemy.  However, 
he  had  not  long  to  wait.  General  Gano,  a  fighting  of- 
ficer, moved  to  his  relief  with  a  brigade  of  fighting 
soldiers,  and  they  were  more  soothing  to  the  nerves 
of  the  poor  old  gentleman.  He  immediately  moved  his 
war-scarred  veterans  across  the  river  at  Briartown  and 
held  them  in  readiness  to  hit  the  road  for  the  "  big 
drift  "  on  the  lightest  intimation  that  Blunt  was  com- 
ing. Gano  was  a  gallant  soldier.  He  knew  how,  and 
was  not  afraid  to  fight.  But  Cooper  —  well,  he  had 
missed  his  calling.  Besides,  his  troops  were  an  uncer- 
tain quantity  in  action.  His  comrades  and  the  Confed- 
eracy should  look  with  compassion  upon  his  blunders. 


EXPEDITION   TO  CHOCTAW  NATION  97 

General  Blunt 's  forces  having  assembled  at  Fort 
Gibson,  he  took  about  five  thousand  men,  cavalry,  ar- 
tillery, and  infantry,  and  moved  in  pursuit  of  General 
Cooper.  At  noon  on  August  24,  he  reached  Briartown 
on  the  Canadian  River,  and  found  Cooper  camped  on 
the  south  side  about  two  miles  distant. 

Soon  after  we  arrived,  General  Blunt 's  scouts  came 
in  and  reported  a  Confederate  train  of  three  hundred 
wagons  at  Perryville,  forty-five  miles  away.  Within 
an  hour  after  receiving  this  report  General  Blunt  di- 
rected me  to  take  the  Second  Kansas  Cavalry,  a  part 
of  the  Third  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  and  a  part  of  the 
Fourteenth  Kansas  Cavalry,  with  a  section  of  ar- 
tillery, and  swing  around  Cooper  to  the  west  by  way 
of  North  Fork  Town  and  then  make  a  forced  march  to 
Perryville. 

I  moved  at  three  o'clock  and  reached  North  Fork 
Town  at  6  P.  M.,  where  I  captured  and  destroyed  a 
quantity  of  Confederate  quartermaster's  stores  and 
artillery  ammunition.  At  dark  I  crossed  the  Canadian 
Eiver,  knocked  Colonel  Mclntosh's  regiment  to  pieces, 
and  took  the  road  to  Perryville.  At  eleven  o'clock  I 
captured  Major  Vore  —  a  Confederate  paymaster  — 
his  ambulance,  escort  of  ten  men,  and  forty  thousand 
dollars  of  Confederate  money,  with  which  he  was  going 
up  to  pay  the  regiment  I  had  a  few  hours  before  sent 
glimmering  through  the  dark  forest  of  the  North 
Canadian. 

I  told  Major  Vore,  who  seemed  to  be  an  all  round 
clever  gentleman,  that  he  might  as  well  go  along  with 
me,  because  I  had  anticipated  his  coming,  and  taken  the 
precaution  to  drive  Mclntosh's  troops  into  the  jungle, 
where  omniscience  would  not  find  them,  nor  omnipo- 
tence put  them  together  again.  He  replied  in  substance 
that  he  was  pleased  to  go  with  me ;  and  then  said  that 
he  felt  it  his  duty  to  tell  me  that  I  was  plunging  right 
into  the  jaws  of  death.  I  replied,  "  Yes,  that  suits  me. 
But  before  plunging,  I  should  be  pleased  to  know 


98  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

whether  it  is  the  jaws  of  Cooper  or  Bankhead." 
"  Neither,"  he  said.  "  It  is  the  jaws  of  Gano,  who  is 
camped  over  there  at  the  junction  of  this  and  the 
Briartown  and  Perryville  roads. ' '  That  was  informa- 
tion worth  having,  so  I  prepared  myself  accordingly. 

BATTLE   OF   PEBBYVILLE 

At  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  August  25,  I 
drove  in  General  Gano's  pickets  and  soon  thereafter 
his  grand  guard.  The  night  was  dark,  and  the  road 
was  rough  and  almost  impassable,  down  a  steep  hill 
through  a  heavy  body  of  timber.  But  we  finally  over- 
came all  obstacles  and  formed  in  line  on  the  open 
prairie  in  front  of  Gano's  camp.  I  had  about  a  thou- 
sand men  in  line  and  two  pieces  of  artillery,  but  it  was 
impossible  to  estimate  the  strength  of  the  enemy  until 
daylight. 

I  had  left  Cooper  south  of  the  Canadian,  near  Briar- 
town,  the  previous  afternoon,  and  marched  thirty-five 
miles  by  way  of  North  Fork  Town  and  back  to  the 
Perryville  Eoad  at  a  point  fifteen  miles  south  of  Briar- 
town.  So  I  did  not  know  whether  Cooper  had  moved 
and  formed  a  junction  with  Gano  before  I  reached  him. 
When  daylight  came  I  knew  that  Cooper  was  not  there, 
and  throwing  a  battalion  back  to  look  after  him,  should 
he  come  up  in  my  rear,  I  moved  forward  and  attacked 
Gano. 

After  skirmishing  for  perhaps  an  hour  with  no  par- 
ticular advantage  to  either  side,  I  heard  artillery  in 
the  rear  and  knew  then  that  Cooper  was  coming.  It 
was  quite  a  mix-up.  Gano  was  in  my  front,  Cooper  in 
my  rear,  and  Blunt  in  Cooper's  rear.  Had  Cooper 
moved  forward  promptly,  he  might  have  crowded  my 
line  out  on  one  side  or  the  other,  because  no  one  can 
very  well  fight  an  equal  force  in  front,  and  at  the  same 
time  a  largely  superior  force  in  the  rear. 

But  Cooper  did  not  do  this.  He  pulled  off  the  main 
road  with  his  whole  army  and  passed  around  on  the 


EXPEDITION    TO    CHOCTAW    NATION  99 

open  prairie  to  my  left  and  allowed  Blunt  to  move  up 
within  supporting  distance  in  my  rear.  With  Cooper 
off  my  rear  I  moved  forward  in  earnest  and  we  had  a 
running  fight  to  Perryville,  where  the  enemy  formed  on 
top  of  the  hill  at  the  edge  of  the  village  and  raked  the 
road  with  artillery,  until  we  flanked  them  on  the  right 
and  left  and  drove  them  from  their  last  position.  It 
was  after  dark  when  we  dislodged  them  at  Perryville 
and  then  I  followed  them  with  the  Second  Kansas  for 
quite  a  distance  on  the  road  to  Bed  River. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  BACKBONE  MOUNTAINS,  SEPTEMBER  1, 

1863 

Resting  at  Perryville  until  noon  of  August  26, 
General  Blunt  moved  with  his  division  on  the  Fort 
Smith  Road  and  arrived  at  Sculleyville  on  the  evening 
of  August  31.  Here  the  country  was  rough,  hilly,  and 
much  broken.  General  Cabell,  commanding  at  Fort 
Smith,  had  felled  trees,  and  otherwise  obstructed  the 
road  and  the  crossing  of  the  Poto  River  at  Sculleyville. 
On  arriving  at  this  crossing  Colonel  Cloud  went  for- 
ward with  a  detachment  of  the  Second  Kansas  and 
skirmished  with  the  enemy  until  a  late  hour  at  night. 
The  next  morning  the  command  drove  the  enemy 
steadily  into  and  through  Fort  Smith,  and  south  over 
the  Backbone  Mountains. 

On  top  of  one  of  the  hills,  called  the  Devil's  Back- 
bone, fifteen  miles  south  of  Fort  Smith,  General  Cabell 
made  his  last  stand.  The  approach  to  his  line  was 
up-grade  through  timber,  in  which  it  was  difficult  to 
manoeuvre  cavalry  and  artillery.  But  Colonel  Cloud 
formed  his  line  of  battle  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  with 
the  Sixth  Missouri  Cavalry  under  the  gallant  Colonel 
Catherwood  on  the  right,  Rabb's  battery  in  the  centre, 
and  the  Second  Kansas  on  the  left. 

The  line  moved  forward  up  the  hill  steadily  under 
the  enemy's  fire,  until  within  close  range,  and  then 
opened  with  Sharps  rifles.  At  the  same  tune,  Rabb, 


100  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

who  had  planted  his  battery  in  the  road  where  the 
timber  had  been  cut  away,  opened  first  with  shell  and 
then  with  canister  at  close  range. 

The  enemy,  firing  down-grade,  overshot  both  with 
their  small  arms  and  artillery.  Eabb,  in  using  shell  at 
an  elevation,  made  the  same  mistake;  but  when  he 
changed  to  canister,  there  was  something  doing. 
Eight  companies  of  the  Second  Kansas  were  fighting 
on  foot,  and  I  had  two  mounted  companies  on  my  left 
flank.  A  part  of  Catherwood's  regiment  was  also  dis- 
mounted. General  Cabell  had  apparently  dismounted 
his  whole  command  and  made  his  men  lie  down  behind 
breastworks,  composed  of  logs,  officers'  trunks,  and 
camp  kettles. 

The  battle  raged  for  about  two  hours,  with  our  line 
moving  closer  and  closer  toward  the  enemy,  and  Babb 
double-charging  his  guns  a  part  of  the  time.  Finally 
I  discovered  that  Cabell 's  right  flank  was  unprotected, 
and  immediately  threw  forward  the  two  mounted  com- 
panies from  my  left,  and  with  a  sudden  dash  put  that 
part  of  his  line  out  of  business.  About  the  same  time 
Catherwood's  regiment  on  the  enemy's  left,  and  our 
dismounted  men  in  the  centre,  moved  forward  with  a 
yell  and  sent  Cabell  and  his  men  tumbling  over  each 
other  down  the  hill  and  back  to  Dixie. 

But  in  justice  to  General  Cabell  I  must  say  that  he 
tried  to  hold  his  men,  and  probably  would  have  suc- 
ceeded, at  least  for  a  while,  had  it  not  been  for  Sergt. 
Patrick  Murphy,  a  witty  Irishman,  in  a  Texas  regi- 
ment. Cabell,  in  trying  to  restore  confidence,  gave  the 
command,  "  Lie  down."  Patrick,  in  the  confusion, 
misunderstood  him  and  instantly  yelled  out  at  the  top 
of  his  voice :  ' '  And  did  you  hear  the  Gineral  say, 
'  Light  out'  I  "  Suiting  his  action  to  his  words,  he 
bounded  away  like  a  wild  deer,  followed  by  the  whole 
command,  including  the  General. 

We  doubtless  would  have  had  more  or  less  sym- 
pathy for  General  Cabell,  in  his  pitiable  condition  that 


EXPEDITION   TO   CHOCTAW   NATION  101 

day,  but  for  the  fact  that  while  forming  his  line  of 
battle  in  the  morning,  he  had  dismounted  and  stationed 
in  ambush,  behind  a  fence  close  to  the  road  on  which 
we  were  approaching,  a  company  of  his  troops  for  the 
purpose  of  assassination.  When  my  advance  guard 
of  40  men  arrived  abreast  of  his  concealed  bushwhack- 
ers, they  fired  a  volley  at  close  range,  killing  the  cap- 
tain and  four  of  his  men  and  wounding  six  others. 
This  was  a  species  of  warfare  to  which  the  Second 
Kansas  never  condescended.  That  regiment  fought  in 
the  open  and  was  always  there  at  the  beginning  and 
the  ending,  but  never  once  did  any  soldier  of  the  regi- 
ment sneak  around  in  the  brush  and  shoot  an  enemy  in 
the  back. 

OCCUPYING  FORT   SMITH 

After  this  battle  we  moved  back  to  Fort  Smith, 
and  were  the  first  Federal  troops  to  occupy  that  city 
since  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War.  Fort  Smith  then, 
as  now,  was  a  beautiful  city.  The  men  were  mostly 
out  hunting,  but  the  women  and  children  were  at  home. 
They  had  been  shamefully  deceived  as  to  the  personnel 
of  the  Federal  troops.  Many  intelligent,  educated,  re- 
fined ladies  looked  upon  Federal  officers  and  soldiers 
as  rough,  ignorant,  uncouth  barbarians,  without  any 
regard  for  truth,  integrity,  or  virtue.  For  the  first 
few  days  of  our  occupation  it  was  pitiable  to  see  and 
hear  of  their  distress.  They  were  afraid  to  venture 
out  of  their  houses  and  afraid  to  stay  at  home  without 
a  guard. 

I  camped  with  the  Second  Kansas  in  a  lovely  grove 
at  the  south  end  of  the  main  street.  No  officer  or  sol- 
dier was  allowed  to  leave  camp  without  a  written  pass ; 
and  the  same  was  true  of  other  regiments  camped  in 
and  around  the  city.  This  was  quite  different  from 
what  the  people  of  Fort  Smith  were  accustomed  to 
seeing  when  the  Confederate  troops  were  stationed 
among  them. 


102  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

Gradually  all  classes,  by  proper  treatment,  began  to 
see  that,  after  all,  the  Federal  troops  were  not  so  bad 
as  they  had  been  represented.  We  were  not  there  to 
make  war  upon  women  and  children,  or  to  disturb  them 
in  any  way.  Our  purpose  was  to  suppress  the  Rebel- 
lion as  quickly  as  possible,  and  then  go  home. 

ADIEU  TO  THE  SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY 

At  the  close  of  the  campaign,  on  December  31, 1862, 
the  line  officers  of  the  Second  signed  a  petition  to  the 
Governor  requesting  my  promotion  to  the  colonelcy  of 
that  regiment,  on  the  supposition  that  Colonel  Cloud, 
by  reason  of  his  splendid  military  record,  would  be  ap- 
pointed a  brigadier-general.  But  Cloud  was  not  so 
fortunate,  so  when  we  returned  from  this  last  arduous 
campaign  and  captured  Fort  Smith,  I  was,  by  authority 
of  the  Secretary  of  War,  tendered  the  colonelcy  of  the 
Eighty-third  U.  S.  Colored  Infantry.  That  regiment 
was  then  at  Fort  Smith  with  every  company  recruited 
to  the  maximum,  and  all  the  officers  appointed  and  on 
duty,  except  the  colonel. 

I  took  a  few  days  to  consider  the  proposition,  be- 
cause : 

First:  It  was  an  infantry  regiment,  and  I  pre- 
ferred the  cavalry. 

Second:  It  was  a  colored  regiment,  and  I  pre- 
ferred a  white  regiment. 

Third:  It  was  a  new  regiment,  with  inexperienced 
officers,  and  that  meant  months  of  tedious,  hard  work, 
drilling  and  preparing  the  regiment  for  field  ser- 
vice. 

Fourth:  It  signified  that  we  must  fight  under  the 
Black  Flag,  because  the  Confederate  authorities  had 
issued  instructions  to  the  Confederate  army  to  spare 
the  life  of  no  captured  white  officer  of  a  colored  regi- 
ment. Those  instructions,  however,  had  no  terrors  for 
me.  They  simply  meant  a  game  at  which  two  could 
play.  But  after  due  consideration  I  waived  all  ob- 


EXPEDITION   TO    CHOCTAW   NATION 


103 


jections  and  notified  General  Blunt  that  I  would  ac- 
cept the  appointment. 

The  next  day,  September  10,  1863,  I  bade  adieu  to 
the  dear  old  Second  Kansas,  a  regiment  that  never 
faltered  on  the  field  of  battle.  With  it  I  had  been  in 
many  hot  places,  broken  many  Rebel  lines,  and  cap- 
tured many  prisoners,  and  quantities  of  arms  and  other 
munitions  of  war. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE    EIGHTY-THIRD    COLORED    INFANTRY 

CAMP  LIFE  AT  FORT  SMITH ORDERS  TO  MOVE  ON  SHREVE- 

PORT  —  BATTLE  OF  PRAIRIE  D*ANE,  APRIL  11-12,  1864  — 
DISGRACEFUL  RETREAT  OF  GENERAL  STEELE SKIR- 
MISH AT  MOSCOW,  APRIL  13,  1864. 

ON"  the  first  of  October,  1863,  I  was  appointed  by 
President  Lincoln  as  Colonel  of  the  Second  Kan- 
sas Colored  Infantry,  afterwards  numbered  by  the 
War  Department  as  the  Eighty-third  U.  S.  Colored 
Infantry.  On  the  first  of  November  I  left  Fort  Scott 
with  a  train  of  six  hundred  Government  wagons  loaded 
with  supplies  for  the  army  at  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas. 
As  an  escort  for  the  train,  I  had  the  Eighty-third  Col- 
ored Infantry  and  parts  of  the  Third  Wisconsin,  and 
Fourteenth  Kansas  Cavalry  with  two  pieces  of  ar- 
tillery. The  train  and  escort,  when  strung  out  on 
the  march,  covered  a  space  of  six  miles,  over  a  rough 
road,  and  a  part  of  the  time  with  Stand  Watie's  In- 
dians and  bands  of  bushwhackers  prowling  about  the 
woods  on  both  flanks,  watching  for  an  opportunity  to 
capture  or  burn  the  wagons. 

From  Spring  River  south  over  the  Boston  Moun- 
tains, skirmishing  was  the  order  of  the  day,  and  some- 
times fighting  on  both  sides  of  the  road  at  the  same 
time.  But  on  November  15  we  reached  Fort  Smith 
without  the  loss  of  a  wagon,  and  on  the  seventeenth 
I  went  into  winter  quarters  on  the  right  of  the  Union 
line. 

The  evening  we  reached  Spring  River  the  wind  was 
blowing  a  gale,  and  the  grass  in  the  valley  where  we 
x>arked  the  train  was  high  and  dry.  Among  the  team- 

104 


EIGHTY-THIRD    COLORED    INFANTRY  105 

sters  were  about  eighty  ex-bushwhackers,  who  had 
taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  been  released  from 
the  guard-house  in  Fort  Scott  and  employed  by  the 
quartermaster,  under  a  solemn  promise  that  they  would 
be  good. 

I  had  no  faith  in  them  from  the  start,  and  so  noti- 
fied the  post-commandant  at  Fort  Scott;  but  he 
thought  otherwise,  so  I  took  them  on  probation.  The 
second  day  out  on  the  road,  they  began  to  feel  their 
way  and  show  their  disposition,  by  twisting  their  teams 
around  and  occasionally  breaking  or  upsetting  a  wag- 
on, which  generally  would  delay  the  wagons  in  the 
rear.  Becoming  satisfied  as  to  their  malicious  intent, 
I  warned  them  of  their  danger;  but  the  leopard  does 
not  change  his  spots.  Only  a  few  of  them  profited  by 
the  advice  and  warning  I  gave  them.  They  evidently 
had  an  understanding  among  themselves,  and  were  only 
waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  try  to  destroy  the  train. 

That  opportunity,  as  they  thought,  came  the  even- 
ing we  arrived  at  Spring  Eiver.  The  train  was  parked 
in  the  tall  grass,  and  orders  given  to  each  wagon-mas- 
ter to  keep  a  guard  over  every  fire  while  the  men  were 
cooking,  and  then  put  the  fire  out.  This  order  was 
obeyed  strictly  by  all,  except  a  bunch  of  the  ex-butter- 
nuts, who,  all  of  a  sudden,  started  three  fires  at  the 
upper  end,  from  which  a  heavy  wind  was  sweeping  over 
the  whole  camp. 

Knowing  the  danger  of  a  fire,  with  or  without  de- 
sign, I  had  camped  the  Eighty-third  Infantry  near  the 
danger  joint,  with  instructions  to  be  on  the  alert,  and 
if  a  fire  should  start  to  lose  no  time  in  putting  it  out. 
When  the  fires  started,  Major  Gilpatrick,  command- 
ing the  Eighty-third,  was  there  with  five  or  six  hundred 
men,  and  by  the  time  the  flames  had  begun  to  leap  over 
the  nearest  wagons,  the  fire  was  checked,  before  any 
serious  damage  was  done. 

Anticipating  trouble,  I  had  kept  my  horse  in  read- 
iness, and  at  the  first  cry  of  fire  I  went  into  the  saddle 


106  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

and  was  there  quickly.  When  I  arrived,  the  soldiers 
were  exerting  themselves  to  their  utmost;  using  their 
new  overcoats  on  the  flames,  while  the  butternut  team- 
sters stood  around  in  bunches,  with  broad  grins  on 
their  faces.  When  I  came  up  I  told  them  to  take  the 
empty  sacks  near  by  and  help  put  out  the  fire  which 
was  still  spreading.  Three  or  four  of  their  leaders 
turned  away  with  sneering  remarks,  to  the  effect  that 
they  didn't  hire  to  fight  fire.  I  replied  that  they 
would  fight  something  else,  and  one  after  another  they 
went  down,  with  my  old  cavalry  sword  ringing  at 
their  ears.  That  settled  all  differences  of  opinion,  and 
in  less  than  a  minute,  every  teamster  present,  except 
their  three  leaders,  was  doing  his  level  best,  and  all 
worked  faithfully  until  the  fire  was  extinguished.  From 
there  on  to  Fort  Smith,  everything,  including  the 
slightly  disabled  gentlemen  who  "  didn't  hire  to  fight 
fire,"  worked  to  a  charm. 

CAMP  LIFE  AT  FORT  SMITH 

On  going  into  winter  quarters  at  Fort  Smith,  the 
first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  put  the  camp  in  order. 
My  camp  was  a  mile  from  the  Fort  with  the  Poto  River 
on  my  right.  The  ground  was  slightly  rolling,  but 
level  enough  for  a  most  beautiful  camp,  with  drill  and 
parade  grounds  convenient,  and  in  every  way  suitable. 
All  in  all,  we  had  a  model  camp,  and  every  facility  for 
making  a  model  regiment. 

We  all  knew  just  what  we  were  going  into.  We 
had  been  told,  and  we  believed,  that  President  Davis 
had  issued  an  order  directing  his  army  officers  to  take 
no  prisoners  —  officers  or  soldiers  —  belonging  to  col- 
ored regiments.  We  knew  of  the  prejudice  that  ex- 
isted everywhere  against  colored  troops.  We  knew 
that  the  prevailing  opinion  was  that  the  negro  as  a 
soldier  would  not  fight.  Yet,  notwithstanding  all  this, 
we  assumed  the  risk  and  the  responsibility  and  set 
about  to  do  our  duty. 


EIGHTY-THIRD    COLORED    INFANTRY  107 

Our  camp  having  been  established  and  put  in  order, 
I  then  prescribed  a  code  of  iron-clad  rales  for  the  good 
of  the  regiment.  I  knew  that  nothing  but  drill,  dis- 
cipline, and  more  drill,  would  fit  the  regiment  for  the 
field  in  such  condition  as  to  give  every  officer  and 
soldier  absolute  confidence  in  the  ability  of  the  regi- 
ment to  take  care  of  itself  under  any  and  all  circum- 
stances. When  we  commenced  our  daily  duty,  on  the 
twentieth  of  November,  1863,  the  regiment  had  its  full 
quota  of  officers  and  about  nine  hundred  enlisted  men. 

My  rules  required  every  officer  and  soldier  to  get 
up  at  reveille  and  attend  roll-call  in  the  morning ;  then 
to  put  their  tents  in  order  and  be  ready  for  the  break- 
fast call.  After  breakfast,  every  week  day,  we  had 
company  drill  in  the  forenoon,  regimental  drill  in  the 
afternoon,  dress  parade  in  the  evening,  and  officers' 
school  at  night.  Every  Sunday  we  had  inspection  in 
the  morning  and  dress  parade  in  the  evening.  This 
was  our  daily  routine,  morning,  noon,  and  night,  when 
the  weather  would  permit. 

The  line  officers  were  told  at  the  beginning  that  they 
must  make  good  in  drill,  discipline,  and  military  ap- 
pearance, or  hand  in  their  resignations;  that  no 
drones,  shirks,  or  incompetents  would  be  tolerated 
after  they  had  been  given  a  reasonable  time  in  which 
to  qualify.  As  a  result  of  these  necessary  proceedings, 
we  soon  had  a  number  of  vacancies. 

To  fill  these  vacancies  I  requested  the  colonels  of 
the  various  white  regiments  in  the  Frontier  Army  to 
select  some  of  the  best  and  most  competent  of  their 
fighting  non-commissioned  officers  and  soldiers,  who 
were  willing  to  go  before  a  board  to  be  examined  for 
promotion,  as  officers  in  the  Eighty-third.  About  sixty 
brave,  daring  young  men  passed  the  examination  and 
were  recommended  by  the  board.  From  these  I  made 
a  selection  of  bright  young  lieutenants,  who  were  from 
time  to  time  appointed  and  assigned  to  duty. 

While  thus  arranging  for  officers  who  would  stand 


108  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

the  test,  we  at  the  same  time  subjected  the  enlisted 
men  to  a  careful  and  rigid  physical  examination,  which 
resulted  in  the  discharge  of  about  two  hundred  men, 
leaving  the  material  for  a  solid,  compact  regiment  of 
over  seven  hundred  young,  athletic  soldiers;  with  a 
full  quota  of  officers  who  were  not  afraid  of  Davis 's 
Black  Flag.  The  regiment,  as  now  organized,  was 
composed  of  material  out  of  which  a  real  fighting  reg- 
iment could  be  made.* 

The  Black  Flag  order  of  the  Confederacy  was  a 
godsend  to  the  colored  regiments.  Every  officer  and 
every  soldier  knew  that  it  meant  the  bayonet,  with  no 
quarter,  whenever  and  wherever  they  met  the  enemy. 
At  least  that  was  the  definite  understanding  among  the 
officers  and  enlisted  men  of  the  Eighty-third  U.  S. ; 
and  the  regiment  was  drilled,  and  disciplined,  and  in- 
structed accordingly. 

After  four  months'  steady  drill  and  discipline  in 
camp  at  Fort  Smith,  the  Eighty-third  could  execute 
with  precision  every  moment  required  of  an  infantry 
regiment.  And  in  the  manual  of  arms  and  the  bayonet 
exercise,  it  had  no  superior  in  the  Seventh  Army  Corps. 
And  more,  every  officer  and  soldier  in  the  regiment 
knew  what  the  regiment  could  do;  and  that  inspired 
all  the  confidence  essential  on  the  field  of  battle.  When 
Spring  opened,  we  were  ready  for  the  fray,  and  for- 
tunately had  not  long  to  wait. 

The  Confederate  forces  under  Generals  Kirby 
Smith,  Dick  Taylor,  Sterling  Price,  Marmaduke,  and 
others,  were  encamped  at  Shreveport,  Louisiana,  and 
at  Camden,  Arkadelphia,  and  Washington  in  South- 
west Arkansas.  General  Fred.  Steele,  commanding 
the  Seventh  Army  Corps,  was  at  Little  Eock  with  two 
of  his  divisions.  General  Clayton  was  at  Pine  Bluffs, 
and  General  Thayer  with  the  Kansas  division  at  Fort 
Smith. 

*See  Appendix  for  roster  of  regimental  officers. 


EIGHTY-THIRD    COLORED    INFANTRY  109 

ORDERS  TO   MOVE  ON   SHBEVEPOBT 

Early  in  March,  General  Banks,  with  a  large  army, 
was  ordered  to  move  up  Red  River  and  take  Shreve- 
port.  At  the  same  time  General  Steele  was  ordered 
to  move  with  his  corps  on  Shreveport  from  the  north 
and  cooperate  with  Banks.  The  plan  of  action  as  sent 
out  from  Washington  was  perfect,  and  if  it  had  been 
promptly  and  properly  executed,  it  would  have  been 
a  death-blow  to  the  Confederacy  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. 

Banks  concentrated  his  forces  at  Alexandria  on  Red 
River  and  moved  promptly.  Steele  delayed  and  par- 
leyed with  the  authorities  at  Washington  for  two  weeks, 
and  until  he  was  peremptorily  ordered  to  move.  On 
the  twenty-third  of  March  he  left  Little  Rock  with  the 
Second  and  Third  divisions  of  his  corps,  and  on  the 
twenty-fourth  General  Thayer  moved  with  the  First 
or  Kansas  division,  expecting  to  join  Steele  at  Arka- 
delphia. 

The  road  from  Fort  Smith  to  Arkadelphia  ran 
through  a  rough  mountainous  country,  and  was  three 
days'  march  farther  over  the  hills  than  by  the  more 
level  road  from  Little  Rock.  So,  when  Steele  arrived 
at  Arkadelphia,  not  finding  General  Thayer  there,  he 
pushed  on  with  his  two  divisions  and  soon  found 
Price's  cavalry  in  his  front  and  on  both  flanks.  Price 
had  concentrated  his  cavalry  along  the  Shreveport 
Road;  and  if  Steele  had  given  Thayer  time  to  reach 
Arkadelphia,  he  could  have  pushed  forward  to  Shreve- 
port or  formed  a  junction  with  Banks,  as  he  preferred. 
With  Thayer 's  division,  Steele  had  about  twelve  thou- 
sand Western  troops ;  an  army  that  could  have  marched 
straight  through  to  the  Gulf,  under  a  competent 
general. 

The  Confederates  in  Steele 's  front  were  not  there 
to  risk  a  battle.  They  were  not  in  condition  to  fight, 
as  they  plainly  showed  in  every  skirmish.  Their  whole 


110  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

game  was  one  of  bluff,  and  they  played  it  for  all  it  was 
worth.  If  Steele  had  waited  at  Arkadelphia  for 
Thayer's  division  and  then  moved  forward  with  his 
divisions  within  supporting  distance  of  each  other, 
nothing  could  have  stopped  him  north  of  Shreveport. 
But  he  did  not  do  this.  Before  knowing  the  where- 
abouts of  the  Kansas  division,  he  strung  out  his  other 
two  divisions,  with  his  cavalry  in  advance,  and  moved 
on. 

During  the  first  day  out  from  Arkadelphia,  Steele 's 
rear-guard  of  infantry  was  attacked  by  the  Confed- 
erate cavalry  under  Colonel  Shelby,  and  his  supply 
train  endangered  by  reason  of  all  his  cavalry  being  in 
advance,  and  the  wide  intervals  between  his  brigades. 
Fortunately  General  Eice,  of  Iowa,  was  in  the  rear 
with  his  brigade,  but  while  he  easily  repulsed  the  Rebel 
cavalry  at  every  point  of  attack,  it  kept  his  infantry  on 
the  run  from  one  position  to  another  to  protect  the 
train,  which  was  strung  out  on  the  march. 

The  first  attack  was  made  from  the  brush  on  Gentry 
Creek,  east  of  Okolona,  about  noon  of  April  2,  and 
continued  off  and  on  until  Steele  reached  and  crossed 
the  Little  Missouri  River.  On  the  ninth  of  April  Gen- 
eral Thayer  arrived  with  his  division  and  reported  to 
General  Steele,  who  did  not  seem  to  know  exactly 
11  where  he  was  at."  He  had  been  skirmishing  with 
the  Rebel  cavalry  for  seven  days,  but  at  no  one  time  did 
he  have  one  full  brigade  in  action.  In  every  skirmish 
his  troops  had  driven  the  enemy  before  them  until  they 
reached  and  crossed  the  Little  Missouri  River. 

BATTLE  OF  PRAIRIE  D*ANE,  APRIL  11-12,  1864 

War  is  a  relic  of  barbarism  and  should  be  remanded 
to  the  dark  ages.  A  battle  is  either  a  tragedy  of  the 
highest  order,  or  comedy  of  the  lowest  degree.  Every 
soldier  of  our  Civil  War  knows  what  this  means,  be- 
cause he  has  witnessed  the  two  extremes.  In  writing 


EIGHTY-THIRD    COLORED    INFANTRY  111 

of  battles  one  should  not  attempt  to  convert  tragedy 
into  comedy,  nor  comedy  into  tragedy.  To  do  so  would 
be  as  contemptible  as  cowardice  on  the  field  of  battle. 

We  hear  occasionally  of  the  battle  of  Prairie  d' 
Ane  and  of  the  wonderful  things  done  on  that  field.  I 
was  there  with  my  regiment  in  line  from  start  to  finish. 
Prairie  d'  Ane  was  an  ideal  battle-ground.  The  ascent 
from  the  timber  on  the  north  was  gradual  for  a  mile 
and  a  half  to  the  centre  of  the  prairie,  and  thence  there 
was  a  gradual  descent  for  about  the  same  distance  to 
the  timber  on  the  south.  The  centre  of  the  field  was 
comparatively  level,  with  ample  room  on  both  flanks 
for  the  manoeuvring  of  cavalry. 

General  Steele  was  camped  with  his  army  in  the 
timber  on  the  north  side  of  the  prairie,  and  General 
Price's  cavalry  could  be  seen  riding  about  on  the 
prairie  here  and  there  and  in  the  edge  of  the  timber  on 
the  south  side. 

On  the  eleventh  of  April  General  Steele  moved  for- 
ward, and  forming  his  line  of  battle  in  the  edge  of  the 
timber,  sent  forward  General  Salomon's  division  to 
attack  the  Kebel  cavalry  on  the  open  prairie.  After 
skirmishing  and  mano2uvring  with  infantry  against 
cavalry  on  the  prairie  all  afternoon  to  little  purpose, 
General  Salomon  moved  back  to  the  main  line  at  the 
edge  of  the  timber,  where  the  army  stood  in  line  of 
battle  until  midnight,  with  nothing  but  Price 's  cavalry 
over  on  the  other  side  of  the  prairie  playing  a  game  of 
bluff. 

The  next  day  General  Steele  moved  forward  with 
his  whole  force  and  formed  a  line  of  battle  near  the 
centre  of  the  prairie.  He  had  about  ten  thousand  in- 
fantry, two  thousand  cavalry,  and  forty  pieces  of  ar- 
tillery in  line,  splendidly  equipped  and  eager  to  move 
forward.  But  he  did  not  move.  For  six  hours  we  stood 
there  in  battle  array,  with  nothing  but  Marmaduke's 
cavalry  a  mile  and  a  half  away,  riding  about  in  the 
edge  of  the  timber  behind  a  rail  fence,  in  the  corners 


112  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

of  which  corn-fodder  had  been  set  up,  showing  a  line 
of  impregnable  breastworks. 

Finally,  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when 
everybody  had  become  disgusted  with  Steele  's  conduct, 
a  regiment  of  cavalry  moved  forward  on  the  right,  and 
General  Rice's  brigade  of  infantry  advanced  on  the 
left,  and  pricked  the  bubble;  when  the  Eebel  cavalry, 
which  had  held  Steele  back  for  a  week,  scampered  off 
down  the  road,  laughing  in  their  sleeves  about  their 
corn-stalk  fortifications.  Not  once  had  they  appeared 
in  force,  nor  had  they  shown  the  slightest  intention  of 
fighting  a  battle,  from  the  first  skirmish  east  of  Oko- 
lona  on  the  second  of  April,  to  the  close  of  the  spec- 
tacular performance  at  Prairie  d'Ane.  But  all  this 
was  only  the  beginning  of  the  disgraceful  and  humiliat- 
ing scenes  that  followed  one  another  in  rapid  succes- 
sion from  Prairie  d  'Ane  to  Jenkins 's  Ferry. 

When  it  was  definitely  understood  by  every  intelli- 
gent officer  in  the  corps,  except  General  Steele,  that 
Price  did  not  intend  to  fight  but  was  simply  manoeuvr- 
ing to  prevent  Steele  from  forming  a  junction  with 
Banks,  still  he  persisted  in  his  vacillating  course  until 
Banks  was  defeated. 

DISGRACEFUL  BETEEAT  OF  GENEBAL  STEELE 

From  the  battlefield  of  Prairie  d'Ane,  where  no- 
body was  either  killed,  wounded,  or  marked  absent 
without  leave,  General  Steele,  suddenly  becoming  panic 
stricken,  started  his  army  on  a  run  over  a  blind  road 
through  the  swamps  for  Camden,  sixty  miles  east,  in- 
stead of  moving  on  south  to  Red  River,  where  he  could 
reach  Banks.  Night  and  day  that  magnificent  army 
went  splashing  through  the  mud,  and  wading  swamps 
and  streams  over  a  horrible  road  running  parallel  with 
a  good  road  a  few  miles  to  the  south. 

General  Price,  naturally,  when  he  heard  that  Steele 
was  retreating,  sent  his  cavalry  in  pursuit.  They 
moved  on  the  parallel  road  and  had  easy  going,  as 


EIGHTY-THIRD    COLORED    INFANTRY  113 

f 

compared   with    Steele's    forces.      General    Thayer's 
division  brought  up  the  rear  of  Steele  's  army. 

SKIRMISH  AT  MOSCOW,  APRIL  13,   1864 

When  near  the  village  of  Moscow,  Arkansas,  a  part 
of  Price's  cavalry  under  the  command  of  General 
Dockery  conceived  the  idea  of  attacking  General 
Thayer's  rear-guard.  The  enemy  made  quite  a  spir- 
ited attack,  playing  the  Rebel  yell  for  all  it  was  worth. 
It  so  happened  that  my  regiment  was  well  back  toward 
the  rear,  and  I  was  ordered  to  throw  it  into  line  and 
protect  the  Second  Indiana  battery,  which  was  already 
in  action,  shelling  the  enemy  at  a  distance.  I  simply 
about-faced,  threw  the  regiment  into  line,  moved  for- 
ward in  line  with  Rabb's  battery,  and  stood  at  ready, 
with  six  hundred  and  fifty  loaded  Enfield  rifles. 

Pretty  soon  we  heard  the  yell,  and  then  we  saw 
them  coming  like  a  bunch  of  Comanche  Indians.  Rabb 
double-shotted  his  guns  with  canister,  and  I  held  my 
fire  until  they  were  within  close  range  and  then  a  sheet 
of  lead  and  canister  went  into  their  ranks  which  took 
the  yell  out  of  all,  and  the  breath  out  of  a  good  many. 
Our  rear-guard  was  not  again  disturbed,  from  there 
to  Camden.  This  volley,  considering  the  ordeal  through 
which  we  had  passed  and  were  then  passing,  was  given 
with  a  sort  of  holy  satisfaction.  Nor  was  it  the  last  so 
given,  as  we  shall  see  by-and-by. 

General  Steele's  advance  reached  Camden  on  the 
morning  of  April  15,  and  General  Thayer's  division 
arrived  about  11  P.  M.  To  say  that  this  was  a  dis- 
graceful retreat  gives  the  reader,  and  the  young  men 
of  this  country  who  expect  to  be  soldiers,  only  a  vague 
idea  of  what  it  really  was.  A  major-general  with  an 
army  of  twelve  thousand  well-trained,  veteran  soldiers 
who  had  never  flinched  on  the  field  of  battle,  moving 
in  support  of  other  troops  to  an  objective  point,  be- 
coming panic  stricken  at  the  sight  of  a  corn-stalk  for- 
tification and  a  few  skeleton  regiments,  turning  his 


114  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

« 

back  on  the  enemy  without  a  battle,  and  retreating  for 
sixty  miles  on  a  dead  run,  was  a  humiliating  spectacle, 
nauseating  in  the  extreme.  Steele  had  been  ordered  to 
Shreveport  to  cooperate  with  Banks 's  army  and  Ad- 
miral Porter's  fleet,  then  moving  up  Bed  River. 

General  Banks,  in  his  report  on  the  Bed  Biver  ex- 
pedition *  says, 

On  the  4th  of  March,  the  day  before  my  command  was 
ordered  to  move,  I  was  informed  by  General  Sherman  that 
he  had  written  to  General  Steele  to  "  push  straight  to 
Shreveport." 

In  the  same  report  General  Banks  further  says, 
that  on  the  fifth  of  March  he  was  informed  by  General 
Halleck  that  General  Steele  would  be  directed  to  facili- 
tate his  operations  toward  Shreveport.  Again,  Gen- 
eral Banks  says  that  on  the  tenth  of  March  General 
Steele  informed  him  that  he  ' '  would  move  with  all  his 
available  force  to  Washington,  Arkansas,  and  thence 
to  Shreveport."  This  certainly  was  sufficient  to  sat- 
isfy Banks  that  Steele  would  move  on  Shreveport  and 
hold  at  least  a  part  of  Kirby  Smith's  army  back  from 
him. 

General  Steele  left  Little  Bock  with  two  divisions 
of  his  army  on  the  twenty-third  of  March,  and  reached 
the  Little  Missouri  Biver,  eight  miles  from  the  town  of 
Washington,  on  April  5,  an  average  of  about  seven 
miles  per  day.  Had  he  even  then  pushed  straight  to 
Shreveport  as  ordered,  he  would  have  held  a  part  of 
Kirby  Smith's  forces  from  Banks,  who  was  fighting 
his  way  up  Bed  Biver  with  Shreveport  as  his  objective 
point. 

But  Steele  did  not  see  it  that  way.  He  preferred 
strategy  to  fighting,  and  after  manoeuvring  back  and 
forth  over  the  bloodless  field  of  Prairie  d'Ane  for 
seven  days,  he  finally  became  desperate,  and  at  the 
risk  of  life  ordered  Bice's  brigade  to  storm  the  corn- 

"Rebellion  Records,  Vol.  XXXIV,  p.  216. 


EIGHTY-THIRD    COLORED    INFANTRY  115 

stalks  and  clear  the  field,  which  was  done  in  about 
twenty  minutes,  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  Having 
thus  become  master  of  the  situation,  and  considering 
discretion  the  better  part  of  valor,  he  flew  to  the 
swamps  under  cover  of  the  night,  and,  as  already 
shown,  arrived  in  Camden  right  side  up  with  care  on 
the  fifteenth  of  April. 

After  bluffing  Steele  off  the  Shreveport  Road  and 
starting  him  back  on  the  run  to  a  place  of  safety,  Price 
concentrated  his  victorious  legions,  including  a  bunch 
of  Choctaw  Indians,  and  moving  along  on  a  parallel 
road,  went  into  camp  a  few  miles  west  of  Camden. 


CHAPTEE  X 

BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  —  BATTLE  OP  JENKINS  *S 
FEEEY 

BLACK   FLAG  —  STEELED  RETREAT,  AND  PURSUIT  BY   PRICE 

AND     KIRBY     SMITH BATTLE     OF     JENKINS  *S     FERRY, 

APRIL  30,  1864 DESPERATE  FIGHTING  OF  THE  EIGHTY- 
THIRD  CAPTURE  OF  BATTERY CAPTURE  AND  RELEASE 

OF    LIEUT.    JOHN    O.    LOCKHART,    AND    HIS    REPORT 

CREDIT    OF   VICTORY   DUE   GEN.    RICE DISPUTE   AMONG 

REBEL  GENERALS FIGHT  NEAR  WEBBER 's  FALLS,  JUNE 

17,  1864 NOMINATED  FOR  GOVERNOR. 

ON  the  morning  of  April  17  the  second  day  after  his 
arrival  in  Camden,  Steele  ordered  General 
Thayer  to  furnish  an  escort  for  one  hundred  and 
ninety-eight  forage  wagons  which  he  was  sending  back 
through  the  enemy 's  lines  twelve  miles,  for  corn.  Gen- 
eral Thayer  directed  Colonel  Williams  to  take  com- 
mand of  the  escort,  which  consisted  of  the  Seventy- 
ninth  Colored  Infantry,  the  Eighteenth  Iowa  Infantry, 
parts  of  the  Second,  Sixth,  and  Fourteenth  Kansas 
Cavalry,  two  howitzers,  and  a  section  of  the  Second  In- 
diana battery;  in  all  about  1200  officers  and  enlisted 
men. 

When  Colonel  Williams  left  Camden  with  this  es- 
cort and  198  empty  wagons,  General  Price  was  camped 
twelve  miles  west  and  three  miles  south  of  the  road 
along  which  the  corn  was  stored.  Price's  cavalry,  of 
course,  was  on  the  alert,  watching  the  forage  train 
from  the  time  it  left  Camden.  After  it  reached  its  des- 
tination, and  while  the  wagons  were  scattered  and  be- 
ing loaded,  and  the  escort  also  divided  so  as  to  guard 

116 


BATTLE  OF   POISON   SPRINGS  117 

the  wagons,  Price's  cavalry  swooped  down  on  them 
and  after  a  sharp  engagement  of  an  hour  or  so,  cap- 
tured the  train  and  artillery,  and  forced  the  Federals 
to  retreat  with  a  loss  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-two 
killed,  ninety-seven  wounded,  and  eighty-one  missing. 

BLACK   FLAG 

Of  these,  the  colored  regiment  lost  one  hundred  and 
seventeen  officers  and  men,  killed,  and  sixty-five 
wounded  and  brought  off  the  field.  The  white  troops, 
infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery,  lost  five  men  killed, 
thirty-two  wounded,  and  seventy-three  missing.  This 
shows  beyond  dispute  that  the  wounded  colored  sol- 
diers were  murdered  on  the  field,  as  directed  by  the 
President  of  the  Confederacy.  This  was  known  as  the 
battle  of  Poison  Springs ;  and  a  poisonous  dose  it  was 
for  General  Steele. 

Emboldened  by  this  easy  victory,  General  Price 
moved  his  lines  closer  around  Camden,  so  as  to  pre- 
vent Steele  from  foraging  in  any  direction. 

The  next  evening  after  the  wounded  of  the  Seventy- 
ninth  Colored  were  murdered  at  Poison  Springs,  I 
called  a  council  of  the  officers  of  the  Eighty-third  to 
consider  the  matter  and  determine  as  to  our  future 
treatment  of  Rebel  prisoners.  At  that  council  a  sol- 
emn agreement  was  entered  into : 

First:  That  in  the  future  the  regiment  would  take 
no  prisoners  so  long  as  the  Rebels  continued  to  mur- 
der our  men. 

Second:  That  no  wounded  Confederate  should  be 
harmed  or  injured  in  any  way,  but  left  where  he  fell. 

This  agreement  was  subsequently  carried  out,  as 
far  as  possible  in  the  heat  of  battle. 

On  the  nineteenth  of  April,  two  days  after  the 
Poison  Springs  disaster,  I  was  ordered  to  take  my  reg- 
iment, the  Eighty-third  Colored,  with  a  detachment  of 
cavalry  and  a  section  of  artillery,  and  escort  a  forage 
train  to  a  plantation  about  seven  miles  south  of  Cam- 


118  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

den,  where  a  large  amount  of  corn  was  stored.  While 
the  wagons  were  being  loaded  the  Eebel  cavalry  drove 
in  my  pickets  and,  giving  the  usual  screech,  started  at 
full  speed  in  pursuit.  I  had  two  pieces  of  artillery  and 
three  hundred  Enfield  rifles  bearing  directly  on  the 
road  on  which  they  were  coming;  and  as  soon  as  our 
pickets  had  passed,  the  artillery  opened  and,  before 
the  Rebels  could  check  their  horses,  I  gave  them  a  vol- 
ley of  musketry  which  brought  what  was  left  up  on  a 
round  turn,  and  sent  them  back  faster  than  they  came. 
We  left  their  wounded  in  the  road  where  they  fell ;  and 
when  our  wagons  were  loaded,  we  returned  to  Cam- 
den  without  further  interruption  or  loss. 

On  the  twenty-second  of  April,  General  Steele 
started  Colonel  Drake,  of  the  Thirty-sixth  Iowa,  to 
Pine  Bluff  for  supplies,  with  a  train  of  two  hundred 
wagons  and  an  escort  of  about  a  thousand  men  and 
four  pieces  of  artillery.  On  the  morning  of  the  twenty- 
fifth  Drake  was  attacked  at  Marks  Mill  by  General 
Fagan;  the  train  and  artillery  were  captured,  and 
about  half  the  escort  killed,  wounded,  or  missing.  And 
this,  too,  when  it  was  known  that  Price  had  been  rein- 
forced by  Kirby  Smith  with  eight  thousand  troops. 

STEELE  *S  EETKEAT,  AND  PURSUIT  BY  PRICE  AND  KIRBY  SMITH 

On  the  evening  of  April  26  General  Steele,  with  his 
corps,  crossed  the  Washita  at  Camden  and  started  back 
to  Little  Eock.  The  next  morning  Generals  Price  and 
Kirby  Smith,  with  their  combined  forces,  crossed  the 
river  and  started  in  hot  pursuit.  About  two  o'clock 
on  the  afternoon  of  April  29  it  began  to  rain ;  and  about 
the  same  time  Price's  advance  attacked  General  Sal- 
omon's division  in  the  rear.  All  the  remainder  of  the 
afternoon  the  skirmishing  was  give-and-take  as  both 
armies  moved  along. 

About  3  P.  M.  Steele 's  advance  reached  the  Saline 
River  and  laid  a  pontoon  bridge  across  at  Jenkins's 
Ferry.  The  rainfall  kept  steadily  increasing  until  it 
became  a  downpour,  which  continued  until  about  mid- 


BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  119 

night.  Meantime  all  Steele's  troops,  transportation, 
and  artillery,  crossed  the  river  except  the  brigade  of 
General  Rice,  the  Twelfth  Kansas,  under  Colonel 
Hayes,  and  my  regiment,  the  Eighty-third.  There  were 
also  left  on  the  south  side  overnight  a  few  pieces  of  ar- 
tillery and  a  number  of  wagons  mired  in  the  mud. 

General  Thayer's  Frontier  division  reached  the 
bridge  about  5  P.  M.,  and  as  soon  as  the  road  was  open, 
crossed  over  to  the  north  side,  leaving  Colonel  Hayes 
and  myself  with  our  regiments  on  the  south  side  to 
guard  the  bridge.  General  Eice,  with  his  brigade  of 
Salomon's  division,  was  still  skirmishing  in  the  rear. 
At  dark  the  skirmishing  ceased,  and  Rice  moved  his 
troops  up  to  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  bridge  and 
bivouacked  for  the  night. 

The  next  morning,  April  30,  1864,  Colonel  Hayes 
and  myself  received  orders  to  cross  the  river  at  day- 
light. Before  a  shot  in  the  rear  had  been  fired  that 
morning,  I  moved  up  to  where  Colonel  Hayes  had 
halted  in  the  road,  near  the  bridge,  and  was  waiting 
for  his  men  to  empty  their  wet  guns,  which  had  been 
kept  loaded  during  the  previous  night.  While  thus 
waiting,  Colonel  Hayes  rode  back  to  where  I  was  sit- 
ting on  my  horse  at  the  head  of  my  regiment,  and  said 
he  would  move  on  in  a  few  minutes.  Just  as  he  spoke 
these  words  we  heard  a  few  shots  at  the  rear. 

BATTLE  OF  JENKINS 's  FERRY,  APRIL  30,  1864 

General  Rice,  whose  brigade  had  been  skirmishing 
with  Price's  advance  until  dark  the  previous  evening, 
was  still  in  our  rear;  and  when  the  first  shots  were 
fired,  I  told  Colonel  Hayes  that  Rice  was  fighting.  He 
thought  not,  and  said  the  men  were  probably  unloading 
their  wet  guns,  as  he  was  doing.  In  less  than  a  minute 
there  came  a  volley  apparently  from  a  company  of  skir- 
mishers, and  then  it  was  evident  that  the  battle  had  be- 
gun. I  said  to  Hayes,  "  I  am  going  back,"  and  asked 
him  to  go  also.  He  said  no,  he  would  wait  for  orders. 

I  rode  down  the  line  to  about  the  centre  of  the  regi- 


120  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

ment  and  gave  the  command,  '  *  About  face !  ' '  The 
regiment,  in  four  ranks,  was  standing  in  a  muddy  road, 
and  it  was  about  a  mile  and  a  half  to  Rice's  line  of 
battle.  I  moved  through  the  mud  at  a  quickstep,  and 
where  the  road  would  permit,  at  a  double-quick.  About 
half-way  back  the  road  ran  parallel  with  an  old  rail 
fence,  partly  up  and  partly  down.  I  moved  along  in- 
side the  fence,  which  was  at  the  north  end  of  a  small 
field ;  and  when  about  midway  I  halted  and  ordered  the 
men  to  throw  their  overcoats  and  haversacks  in  the 
fence  corners.  Then  I  moved  at  the  double-quick  and 
pretty  soon  began  to  pass  the  wounded  coming  to  the 
rear.  By  this  time  the  musketry  was  rolling,  and  the 
enemy  was  making  a  desperate  effort  to  turn  the  right 
flank  of  Rice's  brigade,  so  as  to  sweep  down  the  road 
and  capture  the  bridge  before  reinforcements  could 
arrive. 

General  Rice's  headquarters  were  about  two  hun- 
dred yards  to  the  left  of  the  road  and  three  hundred 
yards  in  rear  of  his  line  of  battle.  Leaving  my  regi- 
ment moving  to  the  front  on  the  road,  I  galloped  over 
to  where  the  General  and  his  staff  were  sitting  on  their 
horses,  and  asked  where  I  should  take  position.  He 
looked  at  the  regiment  as  it  was  then  passing  at  a 
quickstep,  and  asked,  "  What  regiment  have  you?  ' 

I  replied,  "  The  Eighty-third  Colored. " 

His  next  question  was,  * '  Do  you  think  you  can  take 
them  in?  "as  much  as  to  say,  "  Will  they  fight?  ' 

I  had  never  met  General  Rice  before,  and  his  last 
question  nettled  me  just  a  little  bit.  I  replied,  ' '  Yes, 
General,  I  can  take  that  regiment  where  any  live  regi- 
ment will  go." 

He  smiled  and  said,  "  Move  over  there  on  the  right, 
and  relieve  the  Fiftieth  Indiana,  which  is  short  of 
ammunition. ' ' 

I  moved,  and  without  halting  threw  the  regiment 
into  column  of  companies,  and  forward  into  line  in 
rear  of  the  Fiftieth,  so  as  to  let  that  regiment  pass  to 


BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  121 

the  rear.  I  then  moved  forward  and  formed,  with  my 
right  resting  on  Toxie  Creek  and  my  left  protected  by 
a  swamp,  covered  with  a  thicket  of  scrub  trees  and  un- 
derbrush. My  line  crossed  the  only  road  leading  to  the 
bridge,  and  the  Rebels  were  trying  to  reach  that  point, 
the  position  of  which  was  the  key  to  the  situation. 

DESPERATE  FIGHTING  OF  THE  EIGHTY-THIRD 

The  Fiftieth  Indiana  under  Colonel  Wells,  sup- 
ported by  the  rest  of  Eice  's  brigade,  had  held  the  posi- 
tion until  their  ammunition  was  about  exhausted.  At 
8 :30  in  the  morning  I  relieved  that  regiment  and  swung 
into  line,  with  six  hundred  and  sixty  Enfield  rifles  in 
the  hands  of  soldiers  who  knew  how  to  handle  them. 
My  regiment  was  well-drilled  in  every  way,  but  in  the 
manual  of  arms,  bayonet  exercise,  and  accurate  shoot- 
ing, it  had  no  superior  in  the  Seventh  Army  Corps. 
So  when  we  levelled  six  hundred  and  sixty  rifles  at  the 
enemy  at  close  range,  and  deliberately  shot  to  kill, 
somebody  got  hurt.  The  first  line  of  the  enemy  broke 
and  fled  the  field  before  we  had  fairly  begun  our  day 's 
work. 

As  heretofore  indicated,  we  were  there  for  business 
and  on  the  alert  every  moment  for  an  opportunity  to 
convince  President  Davis  and  his  subordinates  that  his 
"Black  Flag*'  order  was  a  dangerous  weapon  —  a 
two-edged  sword  that  could  be  made  to  cut  both  ways. 

This  first  line  having  retreated  in  disorder,  if  not 
in  disgrace,  I  sent  two  companies  across  Toxie  Creek 
to  help  to  dislodge  the  enemy  on  my  right.  While  the 
fighting  north  of  this  creek  was  raging  with  great  fury, 
General  Churchill  moved  up  with  his  division  of  infan- 
try and  formed  in  my  front  on  the  ground  from  which 
Greene's  brigade  had  just  been  driven.  His  division, 
like  that  of  General  Parsons,  having  just  returned  from 
the  Bed  River  expedition  to  Camden,  and  thence  by 
forced  marches  to  the  battlefield,  was  reduced  to  a 
skeleton,  as  could  readily  be  seen.  At  the  beginning 


122  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

I  had  six  hundred  and  sixty  men  in  line,  and  no  one  of 
Churchill's  brigades  exceeded  that  number,  as  shown 
by  their  reports,  but  they  were  veterans ;  and  Church- 
ill and  Parsons  were  real  generals. 

In  forming  his  line,  Churchill  threw  one  of  his  best 
brigades,  commanded  by  General  J.  C.  Tappan,  in  my 
immediate  front,  and  another,  under  General  Dockery, 
in  front  of  the  detachment  of  our  troops  across  the 
creek  on  my  right,  while  his  other  two  brigdaes,  com- 
manded by  General  Hawthorn  and  Colonel  Gause,  were 
held  back  as  a  reserve. 

Up  to  this  time  I  had  lost  but  a  few  men  and  the 
regiment  stood  like  a  stone  wall  with  guns  at  ready, 
and  eagerly  waiting  for  the  word  to  fire.  Steadily 
Tappan 's  line  moved  forward  until  within  about  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  steps  of  my  line,  when  I  gave  the  order, 
' '  Ready,  aim,  fire !  ' '  Instantly  six  hundred  and  sixty 
balls  went  crashing  through  Tappan 's  line  and  brought 
it  to  a  standstill.  Then  I  gave  the  order  to  load  and 
fire  at  will,  and  Tappan  did  the  same.  At  once  it  be- 
came a  question  of  skill  in  the  handling  of  guns,  and 
power  of  endurance  on  the  part  of  officers  and  men. 
The  line  officers  stood  behind  their  companies,  direct- 
ing the  men  to  level  their  guns  accurately.  I  rode  up 
and  down  the  line  directing  them  to  "  aim  low,  and 
give  them  hell." 

For  an  hour  or  so  the  battle  raged  with  terrific 
fury,  but  not  a  man  in  my  line  wavered  or  lost  a  mo- 
ment 's  time,  except  those  who  were  killed  or  wounded. 
Finally  Tappan 's  line  broke  and  retreated  in  disorder. 
Immediately  Hawthorn's  brigade  moved  to  the  front, 
and  the  fighting  went  merrily  on.  Hawthorn  formed 
about  twenty  paces  in  the  rear  of  where  Tappan 's  line 
stood,  and  that  gave  us  a  decided  advantage,  because 
our  guns  were  of  longer  range  than  those  of  the  enemy. 
Besides,  having  already  broken  and  driven  two  lines 
from  the  field,  we  could  see  no  reason  why  we  should 
not  dislodge  another.  New  brooms  sweep  clean,  and 


BATTLE  OF   POISON   SPRINGS  123 

for  a  while  Hawthorn's  fresh  troops  made  it  hot  for  us. 
But  they  could  not  withstand  the  steady  aim  of  our 
men,  and  in  less  than  forty  minutes  they  broke  and  fell 
back  beyond  our  range. 

Meantime  General  Dockery  had  been  reinforced  by 
Colonel  Gause's  brigade,  and  they  were  pressing  our 
troops  on  the  north  side  of  the  creek.  My  right  rested 
on  the  south  bank  of  the  creek,  and  Dockery  and  Gause 
had  pressed  our  troops  back  until  they  (the  Rebels) 
were  almost  on  a  line  with  my  regiment.  Seeing  the 
situation,  I  changed  front  with  five  companies  from 
the  left  of  the  regiment,  and  throwing  them  forward  in 
line  on  the  south  bank  of  the  creek,  opened  fire  on 
Dockery 's  flank  at  close  range  and  helped  to  send  them 
on  a  run  to  the  rear. 

Not  willing  to  abandon  his  forlorn  hope  of  captur- 
ing the  bridge,  General  Price  resolved  to  make  one 
more  desperate  effort  to  break  our  line  on  the  right, 
and  to  that  end  he  ordered  General  Parsons  to  rally 
his  division  and  make  the  effort.  Anticipating  this  last 
desperate  attempt  on  the  right  by  General  Price,  Gen- 
eral Rice  brought  up  his  reserve  force  and  stationed 
parts  of  the  Twenty-ninth  Iowa  and  Forty-third  Illi- 
nois regiments  on  the  right,  north  of  the  creek,  and  the 
Ninth  Wisconsin  and  a  part  of  the  Twenty-ninth  Iowa 
on  my  left,  with  my  regiment  on  the  same  bloody 
ground  it  had  held  all  morning. 

CAPTURE  OF  BATTERY 

A  Rebel  battery  was  stationed  in  front  of  my  regi- 
ment, supported  by  a  line  of  infantry  extending  from 
Toxie  Creek  to  my  extreme  left.  Three  of  the  Rebel 
guns  were  in  front  of  my  centre  and  three  farther  to 
the  left.  They  opened  with  canister  and  were  doing 
considerable  damage,  when  I  sent  the  Adjutant  back 
to  General  Rice's  headquarters  to  say  to  him  that  a 
Rebel  battery  was  in  my  front  using  canister,  and  I 
would  either  have  to  take  it  by  a  bayonet  charge  or 


124  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

fall  back.  Within  five  minutes  the  Adjutant  returned 
saying  that  General  Bice  said,  "  You  can  charge  the 
battery  as  soon  as  you  hear  cheering  on  the  left." 
While  the  Adjutant  was  reporting  I  heard  cheering  on 
the  left  and  instantly  ordered  the  regiment  to  cease  fir- 
ing and  fix  bayonets.  This  done,  I  ordered  the  regi- 
ment forward  at  the  quickstep,  and  to  load  and  fire  as 
they  advanced. 

Until  the  charge  was  ordered  the  regiment  had  been 
exchanging  volleys  with  the  Rebel  infantry,  but  when 
we  were  fairly  out  in  open  field,  and  perhaps  a  third 
of  the  way  arross,  I  levelled  one  volley  at  the  battery, 
which  brought  down  horses  enough  to  hold  three  of  the 
guns  and  sent  the  other  three  flying  from  the  field.  The 
next  volley  was  directed  toward  the  Rebel  line  of  in- 
fantry, which  we  were  rapidly  approaching  with  the 
bayonet. 

When  we  passed  the  battery,  still  at  the  quickstep, 
there  were  no  artillerymen  left  standing,  and  thirty- 
odd  artillery  horses  were  piled  up  on  top  of  each  other, 
which  showed  the  death-dealing  effect  of  our  rifles.  In 
passing  the  battery,  the  bayonet  was  freely  used,  and 
that  seemed  to  terrorize  the  Rebel  line  of  infantry, 
which  we  would  have  reached  with  our  bayonets  in  less 
than  two  minutes,  had  they  stood  their  ground.  To  say 
that  they  ran  would  not  convey  a  definite  idea  of  how 
they  left  that  part  of  the  field.  They  simply  flew,  and 
it  was  not  from  a  lack  of  courage,  either.  It  was  on 
account  of  a  guilty  conscience.  They  remembered 
Poison  Springs  —  and  so  did  we.  After  the  Poison 
Springs  massacre  we  resolved  to  take  no  prisoners. 
And  yet,  there  lay  scores  of  the  Rebel  wounded  all 
around  us ;  but  we  left  them  as  they  were,  to  be  cared 
for  by  their  comrades. 

After  shivering  the  Rebel  left  into  fragments  and 
sending  two  of  Price's  divisions  —  Churchill's  and 
Parsons '  —  to  the  rear,  I  directed  one  of  my  captains 
to  take  his  company  and  run  the  captured  guns  to  our 


BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  125 

rear  by  hand.  Then  I  moved  the  regiment  back  to  the 
position  from  which  I  had  made  the  charge.  The  field 
over  which  the  captured  guns  were  being  brought  by 
the  men  was  muddy,  and  the  guns  were  heavy  to  draw. 
A  lieutenant  of  the  Twenty-ninth  Iowa  having  come 
on  to  the  field  with  a  squad  of  men  after  the  battery 
had  been  captured,  came  to  me  and  asked  permission 
for  his  men  to  help  to  run  the  guns  back,  a  request 
which  I  readily  granted.  In  consequence  of  this,  Col- 
onel Benton,  of  that  regiment,  claimed  credit  for  hav- 
ing captured  the  battery. 

When  I  ordered  the  charge,  I  had  only  about  five 
or  six  rounds  of  ammunition  left  to  each  man,  but  I 
had  no  time  to  wait  for  a  new  supply.  When  I  returned 
from  the  charge  I  had  an  average  of  about  one  round 
to  the  man.  I  immediately  notified  General  Rice  of 
this  fact,  and  he  sent  a  staff  officer  to  bring  up  an  am- 
munition wagon. 

CAPTURE  AND  RELEASE  OF  LIEUTENANT  JOHN  O.  LOCKHART, 
AND  HIS  REPORT 

While  waiting  for  the  ammunition,  the  fighting  on 
our  part  of  the  line  being  over,  one  of  my  lieutenants, 
who  was  back  on  the  field  looking  after  our  wounded, 
picked  up  a  lieutenant  of  the  captured  battery  —  John 
0.  Lockhart  —  who  had  been  slightly  wounded,  and 
brought  him  to  me,  saying,  "  Here,  Colonel,  is  an  of- 
ficer of  that  battery,  and  I  don 't  know  what  to  do  with 
him."  The  prisoner  had  a  sad,  serious,  woe-begone 
expression  on  his  face,  and  looked  as  though  he  ex- 
pected to  be  killed.  In  fact,  my  lieutenant  who  brought 
him  to  me  had  told  him  that  since  their  troops  mur- 
dered our  wounded  at  Poison  Springs,  we  took  no 
prisoners. 

I  was  otherwise  engaged  for  the  moment.  My  fa- 
vorite saddle-horse  had  been  seriously  wounded  in  the 
charge  and  I  was  trying  to  help  the  veterinary  to  stop 
the  effusion  of  blood.  As  soon  as  this  was  attended  to, 


126  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

I  turned  to  the  prisoner,  who  stood  near  me  expecting 
the  worst,  and  said  in  a  gentle  sort  of  way,  "  Lieu- 
tenant, you  seem  to  be  in  bad  luck  to-day. ' ' 

He  made  an  effort  to  reply,  but  could  not  articulate 
distinctly.  Soon,  however,  he  regained  self-control  and 
said,  "  Yes,  we  have  been  unfortunate  to-day,  and 
here  I  am  a  prisoner  of  war." 

"  No,"  I  said,  "  you  are  not  a  prisoner  of  war. 
We  do  not  take  prisoners.  Your  President  has  placed 
his  army  under  the  *  Black  Flag, '  in  so  far  as  our  col- 
ored troops  and  their  officers  are  concerned,  and  Gen- 
eral Price's  troops  carried  out  that  order  to  the  let- 
ter over  there  at  Poison  Springs  the  other  day.  It  was 
carried  out  at  Fort  Pillow  with  equal  severity.  It  was 
carried  out  by  General  Forrest  near  Memphis,  and  has 
been  indulged  in  with  fiendish  delight  in  other  places. 
But  we  are  not  going  to  kill  you.  We  are  not  going  to 
harm  you,  because  you  have  been  brought  to  me, 
wounded  and  without  arms.  Nor  am  I  going  to  retain 
you  as  a  prisoner.  I  think  I  can  use  you  to  a  better 
purpose." 

Then  I  said  to  him :  ' '  You  see  that  regiment  stand- 
ing there  at  a  parade  rest.  That  is  the  Eighty-third 
U.  S.  Colored  Infantry.  My  name  is  Crawford,  and  I 
am  Colonel  of  the  regiment.  You  see  and  know  what 
the  regiment  has  done  here  to-day.  You  know  what 
became  of  your  battery  and  the  fate  of  the  brave  boys 
who  stood  by  their  guns  till  the  last.  You  know  what 
befell  the  troops  in  our  front.  You  know  how  your 
wounds  shielded  you  and  many  other  Confederate  of- 
ficers and  soldiers  from  an  irresistible  wall  of  advanc- 
ing bayonets,  and  you  know  who  did  it.  Now  I  am 
going  to  send  you  back  through  the  lines,  not  as  a 
prisoner  of  war,  but  as  a  messenger  of  peace.  I  want 
you  to  tell  General  Price,  General  Churchill,  General 
Parsons,  General  Hawthorn,  General  Clark,  General 
Dockery,  Colonels  Gause  and  Burns  what  regiment  it 
was  that  held  the  pass  south  of  Toxie  Creek,  from  8 :30 


BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  127 

in  the  morning  until  their  lines  were  broken  and  their 
artillery  captured  at  half -past  twelve.  Tell  them  fur- 
ther that  I  accept  their  new  flag  with  all  that  its  colors 
imply ;  and  from  this  day  forward,  so  long  as  they  bear 
it  aloft,  by  their  action  on  the  battlefield,  I  shall  sim- 
ply tell  the  men  to  remember  Poison  Springs.11 

With  this  message  I  sent  Lieutenant  John  0.  Lock- 
hart  back  through  the  lines  within  thirty  minutes  after 
he  was  brought  to  me.  Whether  he  delivered  it,  I  know 
not,  but  judging  from  what  he  subsequently  said,  I  am 
inclined  to  think  he  forgot  it  entirely.  The  following 
was  his  official  report* : 

HEADQUARTERS  RUFFNER'S  BATTERY, 

CAMP  HARRIS,  ARK.,  May  9,  1864. 

CAPTAIN: 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  to  you  the  following  report 
of  the  part  taken  by  one  section  of  Ruffner's  battery  under 
my  command  in  the  engagement  with  the  enemy  at  Jenkins' 
Ferry  on  April  30,  1864:  As  the  brigade  was  advancing 
upon  the  enemy  the  battery,  which  was  in  its  rear,  was 
detained  by  meeting  Captain  Lesueur's  battery,  which  was 
coming  off  the  field.  While  in  this  position  we  received  an 
order  to  follow  Captain  Lesueur's  battery;  and  while  in  the 
act  of  executing  that  order,  we  received  another  for  a  lieu- 
tenant to  proceed  with  one  section  to  the  scene  of  action. 
These  delays  threw  the  section  some  distance  in  the  rear,  and 
upon  following  the  road  upon  which  I  last  saw  the  brigade 
advancing  I  saw  smoke  from  a  line  in  front,  and  supposing 
it  to  be  our  own  line,  sought  to  reach  it.  A  terrific  fire  from 
three  regiments  of  Federal  infantry  told  me  that  we  had 
advanced  upon  the  enemy.  The  guns  were  immediately  pre- 
pared for  action  by  the  men,  who  behaved  with  much  gallan- 
try ;  but  as  the  line  of  the  enemy  was  so  extensive  he  advanced 
with  little  difficulty,  capturing  the  guns,  myself,  and  eight 
others,  three  of  whom  were  killed  by  negroes  after  they  had 
surrendered.  After  the  capture  I  was  taken  across  the  Saline 
River  to  the  Federal  hospital,  from  which  I  made  my  escape 
on  May  2nd.  There  were  thirty-two  men  in  the  action,  and 

"Rebellion  Records,  Series  1,  Part  1,  Vol.  XXXIV,  pp.  812-813. 


128  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

the  loss  is  as  follows:  Killed,  four;  wounded,  six;  captured, 
six;  missing,  one. 

Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JNO.  0.  LOCKHART, 
Lieut.  Euffner's  Battery. 

In  this  report,  as  will  be  observed,  Lieutenant  Lock- 
hart  says  he  advanced  with  one  section  and  went  into 
battery  under  a  terrific  fire  from  three  regiments  of 
infantry ;  that  the  enemy  advanced  with  little  difficulty 
capturing  the  guns,  himself,  and  eight  others;  that 
after  the  capture  he  was  taken  across  the  Saline  to  the 
Federal  hospital  from  which  he  escaped  on  May  sec- 
ond ;  that  he  had  thirty-two  men  in  action  and  lost  four 
killed,  six  wounded,  six  captured,  and  one  missing. 
Now,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  he  advanced  with  three  pieces 
of  artillery  under  a  long-range  fire  from  the  left  wing 
of  my  regiment,  which  had  just  driven  Lesueur,  with 
his  three  guns,  from  the  field,  while  my  right  wing  was 
engaging  the  enemy  across  Toxie  Creek.  While  he 
was  getting  his  guns  in  position  the  brigade  was  form- 
ing a  line  in  his  rear.  Having  succeeded  in  driving 
Lesueur,  with  his  three  guns,  from  the  field,  on  my  left, 
and  helping  to  repulse  the  enemy  across  the  creek,  I 
immediately  re-formed  my  line,  fixed  bayonets,  and 
charged  Lockhart's  guns  and  the  brigade  supporting 
them  in  the  rear. 

Again,  in  one  sentence  tie  says  he  and  eight  others 
were  captured;  and  in  another  he  says  he  lost  four 
killed,  six  wounded,  and  six  captured.  Just  how  he 
reconciles  these  conflicting  statements  I  am  not  able  to 
say;  but  one  thing  is  certain,  and  that  is  that  the 
Eighty-third  Regiment  took  no  prisoners  on  that  field. 
His  escape  from  the  Federal  hospital  north  of  the  river 
must  have  been  romantic,  if  not  miraculous.  In  the 
first  place,  we  had  no  hospital  north  of  the  river;  and 
in  the  next,  we  were  twenty-five  miles  from  the  Saline 
River  on  the  second  of  May.  But  the  poor  fellow  had 
to  make  some  sort  of  a  report ;  and  the  one  he  made,  no 
doubt,  answered  the  purpose.  Certainly  it  was  no 


BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  129 

worse  than  the  reports  of  some  of  the  Confederate 

i  Generals,  who  claimed  that  they  won  the  battle  and 
drove  the  Union  forces  from  the  field. 

After  we  smashed  Churchill's  and  Parsons 's  divis- 
ions on  our  right  and  sent  them  staggering  to  the  rear, 
I  was  ordered  to  the  left  centre,  where  the  battle  was 
still  raging.  Stopping  a  few  minutes  to  distribute  a 
new  supply  of  ammunition,  I  then  moved  on  the  double- 
quick  and  throwing  my  regiment  forward  into  line 
opened  fire  with  a  steadiness  of  purpose  that  soon  be- 
gan to  tell  on  the  enemy.  In  front  of  our  left  and  cen- 
tre was  Walker's  division  of  Texas  infantry  which 
came  on  to  the  field  as  Price's  troops  were  retiring. 
On  account  of  the  formation  of  the  ground  our  left 
wing  was  not  aligned  accurately.  Some  regiments 
were  in  advance  of  others,  and  the  enemy 's  were  in  the 
same  condition.  After  firing  a  few  volleys  I  advanced 
my  line  about  twenty  paces,  which  gave  me  a  good  posi- 
tion, and  then  it  was  a  question  of  nerve  and  accurate 
shooting. 

In  my  front  was  a  Texas  brigade  (Waul's,  I  think), 
and  for  a  while  they  stood  like  Spartans  and  fought 
like  demons.  I  had  the  best  guns,  and  my  men  were 
better  drilled  in  the  manual  of  arms.  Besides,  we  had 
just  come  from  the  right  where  we  had  swept  every- 
thing before  us,  which  had  inspired  the  men  with  con- 
fidence. Our  extreme  left  had  been  slightly  pressed 
back  early  in  the  day,  but  it  soon  moved  forward  and 
was  now  holding  its  position  easily.  My  regiment  was 
advancing  two  steps  at  each  volley,  and  the  Twenty- 
seventh  Wisconsin  and  Thirty-third  Iowa  on  my  right 
were  doing  the  same.  The  front  rank  would  fire ;  and 
while  they  were  reloading,  the  rear  rank  would  step 
to  the  front  and  fire ;  and  thus  they  advanced  steadily 
until  the  enemy  began  to  weaken.  Evidently  what 
they  feared  most  was  another  bayonet  charge,  and  that 
was  exactly  what  I  was  preparing  to  make,  when  their 
line  broke  and  retreated  in  disorder. 

General  Price's  infantry,  under  Generals  Parsons 


130  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

and  Churchill,  had  already  left  the  field,  and  General 
Kirby  Smith,  with  Walker's  division  of  Texas  and 
Louisiana  infantry,  was  in  our  front,  when  they  broke 
and  followed  Price,  leaving  General  Marmaduke  with 
a  part  of  his  cavalry  to  cover  their  retreat. 

This  was  the  ending  of  the  battle  of  Jenkins's 
Ferry,  on  April  30,  1864.  The  troops  engaged  on  the 
Federal  side  were  only  a  part  of  the  infantry  of  the 
divisions  of  Generals  Salomon  and  Thayer ;  about  four 
thousand  five  hundred  men  all  told;  no  cavalry;  no 
artillery.  On  the  Confederate  side,  Generals  Price  and 
Kirby  Smith  had  the  divisions  of  Churchill,  Parsons, 
Walker,  and  Marmaduke;  apparently  about  eight 
thousand  men,  consisting  of  infantry,  cavalry,  and 
artillery. 

Thus,  as  will  be  observed,  about  one-third  of  Gen- 
eral Steele's  army  of  twelve  thousand  men  —  which 
retreated  before  Price's  cavalry  from  Prairie  d'  Ane 
to  Camden,  and  before  Price  and  Kirby  Smith  from 
Camden  to  the  Saline  Eiver  —  stopped,  fought,  and 
defeated  the  combined  armies  of  these  magic  generals, 
whose  very  names  seemed  to  be  a  holy  terror  to  General 
Steele. 

CREDIT  OF  VICTORY  DUE  GENERAL  RICE 

To  General  Samuel  A.  Bice,  of  Iowa,  commanding 
a  brigade  of  Salomon's  division,  more  than  to  any 
other  officer  of  the  Seventh  Army  Corps,  is  due  the 
credit  of  the  victory  at  the  battle  of  Jenkins's  Ferry. 
He  and  his  staff  of  gallant  young  officers  selected  the 
battleground,  opened  the  battle,  and  held  their  position 
against  terrific  onslaughts  until  reinforcements  ar- 
rived. I  was  the  first  to  reach  him,  and  I  did  not  arrive 
one  minute  too  soon ;  for  one  of  his  regiments,  the  Fif- 
tieth Indiana,  which  blocked  the  road  to  the  bridge  — 
the  key  to  the  situation  —  was  short  of  ammunition 
and  could  not  have  held  the  position  many  minutes 
longer.  I  relieved  this  gallant  regiment,  and  have  al- 
ready described  the  thrilling  events  that  followed. 


BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  131 

Of  the  officers  and  enlisted  men  killed  and  wounded 
on  each  side  in  this  bloody  affair,  I  must  refer  the 
reader  to  the  Eebellion  Records.  My  regiment  lost  in 
killed  and  wounded  eighty-one  men  and  officers,  be- 
sides about  forty  slightly  wounded  who  did  not  leave 
the  line  and  hence  were  not  reported.  When  charging 
the  Rebel  battery,  three  sergeants,  bearing  the  regi- 
mental flag,  fell,  and  a  fourth  carried  it  in  triumph 
from  the  field.  In  the  same  charge  the  horses  of  the 
regimental  officers  —  field  and  staff  —  all  went  down. 
But  we  took  the  battery,  broke  the  line  of  support,  and 
left  many  of  the  enemy  dead  and  wounded  on  that  part 
of  the  field. 

The  battle  closed  about  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon ;  and  from  our  left  centre,  where  I  then  stood,  not 
one  of  the  enemy  could  be  seen  on  his  feet  or  on  horse- 
back in  any  direction.  They  had  left  the  field  in  con- 
fusion, and  retreated  beyond  the  hills  in  their  rear; 
while  our  line  from  right  to  left  stood  firm  as  the  i  i  Pil- 
lars of  Hercules. ' '  General  Rice  having  been  wounded, 
and  our  troops  being  short  of  rations,  we  did  not  pur- 
sue the  enemy. 

After  we  had  rested  quietly  on  our  arms  for  quite 
a  while,  one  of  General  Salomon's  staff  officers  came 
dashing  down  the  line  like  a  whole  herd  of  mad  ele- 
phants (the  first  time  I  had  seen  him  on  the  field  that 
day),  and  told  me  in  broken  English  that  his  army 
would  remain  in  line  of  battle  for  just  thirty  minutes, 
and  then  if  the  "  damn  Rebels  "  did  not  return  and  re- 
new the  fighting,  his  troops  would  cross  the  river.  He 
said  further,  that  I  was  to  remain  on  the  field  with 
my  regiment  and  bring  up  the  rear.  I  told  him  that  it 
seemed  to  me  as  though  we  ought  to  go  the  other  way ; 
that  we  had  won  a  complete  victory  and  should  take 
advantage  of  it.  But  he  thought  differently,  and 
dashed  away  to  execute  his  orders. 

At  the  time  designated  the  several  regiments  coun- 
termarched and  headed  for  the  bridge.  I  moved  back 


132  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

a  short  distance,  halted,  and  sent  men  all  along  where 
our  lines  had  stood  to  pick  up  such  of  our  wounded  as 
might  have  been  overlooked.  When  this  special  work 
was  completed,  which  consumed  at  least  two  hours,  and 
all  the  other  regiments  had  left  the  Held,  I  recalled  the 
detachments  and  moved  on  toward  the  bridge.  I  was 
in  the  rear  of  all  our  troops,  ambulances,  and  wounded, 
who  were  able  to  walk,  but  moving  slowly.  When  I 
reached  the  field  where  the  men  had  left  their  over- 
coats and  haversacks  early  in  the  morning,  I  halted 
and  gave  time  to  get  them. 

While  we  waited  for  the  men,  another  staff  officer 
from  Steele's  headquarters  came  splashing  back 
through  the  mud  with  his  eyes  a-glare  and  nostrils  dis- 
tended (having  snuffed  the  battle  from  afar),  and 
wanted  to  know  why  '  *  in  hell  ' '  I  did  n  't  hurry  up.  He 
further  said:  "  If  you  keep  fooling  along  this  way, 
Price  and  Kirby  Smith  will  hop  on  to  you  in  less  than 
fifteen  minutes  with  fifteen  thousand  men,  and  we  shall 
lose  our  pontoon  bridge. ' ' 

I  said,  "  Yes,  that  is  exactly  what  I  want.  They 
hopped  on  me  this  morning,  but  they  didn't  get  the 
bridge.  If  they  come  along  now,  I  think  I  shall  turn 
it  over  to  them  and  stop  this  disgraceful  retreat." 

Giving  me  up  as  lost,  he  leaped  his  horse  over  a  rail 
fence  near-by  and  flew  for  that  immortal  rubber  bridge. 
Having  recovered  our  traps,  I  moved  slowly  on  down 
to  the  bridge,  arriving  there  just  in  time  to  cross  be- 
fore dark. 

Some  of  the  Confederate  officers  in  their  reports  of 
this  battle  declare  that  they  came  on  to  the  field  early 
in  the  afternoon  and  drove  our  troops  across  the  river. 
That  is  not  true.  I  did  not  leave  the  field  until  about 
4  P.  M.,  and  then  I  lingered  along  from  there  to  the 
bridge  —  about  two  miles  —  hoping  and  expecting  that 
the  Confederate  cavalry  would  follow.  But  they  did 
not  do  so. 

On  arriving  at  the  river  I  received  an  order  from 


BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  133 

General  Thayer  to  destroy  the  bridge.  Leaving  two 
companies  on  the  west  side  and  sending  two  mounted 
scouts  back  on  the  road  as  a  picket,  I  crossed  over  on 
the  bridge  with  the  remainder  of  the  regiment  and 
commenced  the  destruction  of  the  bridge  under  torch- 
light. At  the  proper  time  I  called  in  the  scouts, 
brought  over  the  other  two  companies,  and  remained 
there  until  the  bridge  was  destroyed  and  sunk.  One  of 
the  scouts  whom  I  sent  back  fired  one  shot  at  an  imag- 
inary object,  which  took  me  back  over  the  river  and  put 
the  two  companies  on  that  side  in  line.  But  the  alarm 
being  false,  I  soon  returned.  If  there  was  another  shot 
fired  on  that  side  of  the  river  after  the  battle  closed, 
I  did  not  hear  it,  and  I  certainly  was  there  all  the  time 
until  dark. 

I  am  thus  particular  in  stating  these  facts,  because 
General  Price  and  some  of  his  officers  in  their  reports 
(as  published  in  the  Eebellion  Eecords)  did  not  tell 
the  truth.  Certainly  they  have  enough  material  on 
which  to  base  accurate  and  flaming  reports  of  events, 
incidents,  and  spectacular  displays,  from  Prairie  d* 
Ane  to  Camden,  without  trying  to  claim  credit  where 
credit  is  not  due.  Generals  Price  and  Kirby  Smith  and 
their  armies  were  defeated  in  a  fair,  square,  open  field 
fight  at  Jenkins 's  Ferry,  and  every  Confederate  officer 
and  soldier  in  that  battle  knows  the  fact.  And  it  was 
their  own  fault,  for,  with  the  troops  Kirby  Smith 
brought  over  from  Eed  Eiver,  they  had  almost  twice 
as  many  men  on  the  field  as  we  had.  Again,  they  did 
not  seem  to  have  any  definite  plan  of  action  or  coopera- 
tion among  their  troops. 

If  they  had  a  continuous  line  of  battle  from  the  be- 
ginning to  the  close  of  that  fight,  I  failed  to  see  it.  As 
far  as  I  could  observe,  and  I  had  a  good  eye  and  an  ac- 
curate field-glass,  General  Price  would  send  in  one 
small  brigade,  and  when  that  was  knocked  out,  he 
would  send  another,  and  so  on.  At  least  that  is  what 
was  done  in  my  front,  except  when  Churchill 's  division 


134  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

was  pushed  forward;  and  even  his  flank  was  left  un- 
protected. But  it  is  not  for  me  to  question  the  skill  or 
criticise  the  action  of  officers  on  the  other  side,  even 
from  a  military  standpoint;  because, 

"  One  can't  sometimes  most  always  tell, 
How  Blucher  came  and  Napoleon  fell." 

From  Jenkins's  Ferry  the  army  moved  leisurely 
to  Little  Rock,  arriving  there  on  the  fourth  of  May. 
All  things  considered,  the  expedition  was  disastrous; 
not  from  any  fault  of  the  troops,  but  for  want  of  a 
competent  commander.  In  this  we  were  exceedingly 
unfortunate.  We  had  a  splendidly  equipped  army  of 
about  twelve  thousand  well-trained  veteran  soldiers. 
We  had  two  division  commanders  and  many  brigade 
commanders,  some  of  whom  were  of  the  very  best,  but 
the  Major-General  commanding  was  a  gigantic  failure. 
Had  General  Thayer,  General  Carr,  General  Eice,  Col- 
onel Cloud  or  any  one  of  a  dozen  officers  in  the  corps 
been  in  command,  he  would  have  been  thundering  at 
the  gates  of  Shreveport  before  a  gun  had  been  levelled 
at  General  Banks 's  army. 

But  enough,  perhaps,  has  been  said  of  this  disas- 
trous expedition  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  young 
officers  in  our  army  the  importance  of,  first,  knowing 
themselves ;  and  second,  qualifying  themselves  to  meet 
and  overcome  any  and  every  obstacle  in  their  pathway, 
real  or  imaginary.  After  remaining  at  Little  Eock  a 
few  days,  General  Thayer 's  division  crossed  the  Ar- 
kansas Eiver,  and  marching  back  to  Fort  Smith,  went 
into  camp  to  reflect  on  the  art  of  war  in  Arkansas. 

At  Fort  Smith  we  found  things  about  the  same  as 
they  were  when  we  started  on  the  Eed  Eiver  expedi- 
tion. Major  T.  J.  Anderson,  Adjutant-General  of  the 
district  —  and,  by  the  way,  the  most  efficient  Adjutant- 
General  in  the  Department  —  had  his  district  well  in 
hand  and  everything  running  smoothly  from  a  military 
standpoint.  In  fact  during  the  absence  of  the  Frontier 
division,  he  had  suppressed  the  Eebellion  in  Northwest 


BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  135 

Arkansas  by  mustering  the  male  population  into  the 
Union  Army,  and  administering  the  oath  of  allegiance 
to  the  women  and  children.  At  least,  our  reception  on 
returning  from  the  swamps  of  Red  River  indicated  as 
much.  For  a  while  peace  reigned  in  Arkansas. 

,     DISPUTE  AMONG  EEBEL  GENERALS 

General  Price  went  back  to  Camden  to  divide  the 
spoils  and  settle  a  dispute  with  Kirbj  Smith.  It  seems 
they  fell  out  on  the  field  at  Jenkins 's  Ferry,  and  quar- 
relled —  each  censuring  the  other  for  interfering, 
changing,  and  countermanding  his  orders.  General 
Smith  thought  that  Price  should  have  turned  the  Fed- 
eral right  and  forced  his  way  to  the  bridge,  and  Gen- 
eral Price  contended  that  he  should  have  been  rein- 
forced by  the  Texas  troops  before  he  was  driven  from 
the  field.  Then  again,  the  question  of  jealousy  cut 
quite  a  figure,  until  they  broke  up  in  a  row,  when  Lieu- 
tenant-General  Kirby  Smith  took  Walker's  division 
and  a  part  of  Price 's  infantry  and  returned  to  Shreve- 
port,  leaving  Major-General  Price  to  shift  for  himself. 

General  Price  remained  at  Camden  with  his  infan- 
try and  a  part  of  his  cavalry  stationed  at  different 
places  in  Southwest  Arkansas  and  the  Indian  Terri- 
tory. General  Shelby  soon  started  north  to  work  his 
way  with  cavalry  and  artillery  back  to  Missouri ;  Gen- 
erals Marmaduke  and  Cabell  were  rounding  up  de- 
serters; General  Cooper  was  moulding  bullets  and 
violating  the  prohibition  law  over  at  Caddo  Gap ;  and 
General  Stand  Watie  was  up  on  the  Spavin  making 
war-bonnets,  and  grinding  scalping  knives  for  his 
Indians. 

While  all  these  military  equations  and  unknown 
quantities  were  being  worked  out  by  Price  and  his 
Generals,  General  Steele  was  sleeping  on  post  at  Little 
Rock;  and  the  Seventh  Army  Corps  was  scattered  up 
and  down  the  Arkansas  Valley  from  Fort  Gibson  to 
Pine  Bluff. 

Early  in  June,  Cooper  and  Stand  Watie  concen- 


136  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

trated  their  forces  in  the  Choctaw  Nation  and  began 
to  show  signs  of  life.  Stand  Watie  with  his  brigade  of 
one  thousand  Indians,  a  regiment  of  Texas  cavalry, 
and  two  pieces  of  artillery,  had  moved  up  to  Webber 's 
Falls  on  the  Arkansas  River,  to  intercept  any  Govern- 
ment boats  that  might  be  passing. 

FIGHT    NEAR   WEBBER 's   FALLS,   JUNE   17,   1864 

On  the  fifteenth  of  June  a  steam  ferry-boat  was 
loaded  with  supplies  and  started  up  the  river  for  Fort 
Gibson,  with  an  escort  of  a  lieutenant  and  twenty  men 
from  the  Twelfth  Kansas  Infantry.  When  the  boat 
arrived  within  a  few  miles  of  Webber's  Falls,  it  was 
attacked  and  captured  by  Stand  Watie.  When  at- 
tacked, the  boat  was  thrown  to  the  north  side  of  the 
river;  and  the  escort,  after  firing  a  few  shots,  waded 
ashore  and  made  their  escape.  The  lieutenant  with  a 
part  of  his  men  finally  returned  to  Fort  Smith  and  re- 
ported to  General  Thayer,  who  immediately  ordered 
me  with  two  regiments  of  infantry,  one  company  of 
cavalry,  and  a  section  of  artillery,  to  the  scene  of  the 
disaster. 

I  received  the  order  at  nine  o  'clock  on  the  night  of 
the  sixteenth,  and  the  next  day  at  1  P.  M.  I  captured 
Stand  Watie 's  pickets  —  six  Texas  cavalrymen,  with 
arms  and  horses  —  at  the  Sans  Bois  Eiver,  thirty-five 
miles  from  Fort  Smith  and  five  miles  from  Stand 
Watie 's  camp.  The  river  at  this  crossing  was  narrow 
and  deep ;  and  finding  neither  a  bridge  nor  a  ferry-boat, 
I  brought  over  the  prisoners  in  a  canoe  and  swam  their 
horses  over;  then  I  moved  the  command  to  a  bridge 
three  miles  up  stream.  On  arriving  at  this  crossing  I 
found  the  bridge-flooring  torn  up,  and  the  Texas  cav- 
alry dismounted  and  partially  fortified  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river.  The  river  at  that  point  was  also  narrow 
and  deep,  and  the  Texas  troops  behind  their  hastily  pre- 
pared breastworks  were  within  easy  reach  of  our  En- 
field  rifles. 


COLONEL  SAMUEL  J.  CRAWFORD 

(At  28  years  of  age) 


BATTLE  OF  POISON  SPRINGS  137 

I  immediately  threw  the  Eighty-third  Regiment 
forward  into  line,  ran  up  a  section  of  artillery,  and 
opened  fire  with  both  at  the  same  time.  The  enemy's 
breastworks  consisted  of  logs  and  bridge-flooring, 
which  had  been  hastily  thrown  together,  and  behind 
which  they  had  taken  shelter.  For  a  while  the  Texans 
hugged  the  ground  like  lizards,  and  fired  as  though 
they  were  shooting  birds  in  the  trees.  We  had  them 
where  they  could  neither  lie  still,  nor  retreat  with 
safety.  Pretty  soon  our  artillery  got  its  bearing  and 
began  to  dismantle  the  fort.  One  shell  went  whizzing 
across  the  river  and  struck  the  bridge-flooring,  piled 
up  in  front  of  a  bunch  of  Rebels,  and  sent  them  whirl- 
ing back  to  Dixie.  That  was  the  beginning  of  the  end. 
Soon  the  remainder  broke  and  went  dodging  through 
the  timber  from  tree  to  tree  under  a  hot  fire  of  canister 
and  rifle  balls.  I  hastily  repaired  the  bridge,  crossed 
over,  and  followed  them  until  dark,  when  they  disap- 
peared and,  so  far  as  I  know,  never  returned. 

When  Stand  Watie  captured  the  boat,  two  days  be- 
fore this  skirmish,  all  his  chiefs,  headmen,  and  war- 
riors loaded  themselves  and  their  ponies  to  the  guard 
with  booty,  and  each  on  his  own  trail  struck  for  his 
wigwam  in  the  distant  forest.  Stand  Watie,  like  the 
hen  that  hatched  the  quails,  was  left  alone  on  the  bleak 
prairie  with  no  troops  '  *  to  love,  and  none  to  caress. ' ' 
They  all  took  French  leave,  and  did  not  return  in  time 
to  muster  for  pay  at  the  close  of  the  Rebellion.  That 
was  the  only  instance  during  the  Civil  War  where  a 
whole  brigade  of  valiant  troops  was  placed  hors  de 
combat  by  a  sternwheel  ferry-boat  and  a  few  boxes  of 
hardtack. 

The  object  of  this  expedition  having  been  accom- 
plished, I  returned  to  Fort  Smith  and  devoted  my  time 
to  drilling  and  preparing  the  regiment  for  inspection 
and  grand  review.  General  Marcy,  Inspector-General 
of  the  army,  was  on  a  tour,  inspecting  the  troops  west 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  I  wanted  to  be  in  readiness  for 


138  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

him.  On  the  third  of  July  he  arrived  at  Fort  Smith ; 
and  on  the  fourth  he  and  Generals  Curtis,  Blunt,  and 
Thayer  inspected  the  division  and  held  a  grand  re- 
view. In  his  report  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  General 
Marcy  paid  my  regiment  a  compliment  of  which  any 
officer  of  the  army,  in  time  of  war,  had  a  right  to  feel 
proud. 

NOMINATED  FOB  GOVEKNOB 

Soon  after  this  grand  review  and  inspection,  Gen- 
eral Thayer,  our  division  commander,  informed  me  that 
he  was  going  to  organize  a  cavalry  expedition  to  Red 
River,  and  that  he  wanted  me  to  command  it.  I  told 
him  that  while  nothing  would  please  me  more,  I  was 
afraid  it  could  not  be  done ;  that  several  of  the  cavalry 
colonels  ranked  me,  and  they  would  not  submit  to  it. 
After  discussing  the  question  fully,  we  dropped  it  for 
the  time ;  but  soon  thereafter,  he  or  some  other  person 
(I  knew  not  who)  drew  up  a  letter  to  the  President, 
which  was  extensively  signed  by  colonels  and  other  of- 
ficers of  the  division,  asking  my  promotion  to  the  rank 
of  Brigadier-General,  and  I  was  subsequently  assured 
from  Washington  that  I  should  have  the  first  vacancy. 
But  before  the  appointment  was  made  I  was  nomi- 
nated by  the  State  Convention  at  Topeka  as  the  Repub- 
lican candidate  for  Governor. 

This  opened  a  new  field  for  me  if  I  accepted  the 
nomination.  I  preferred  the  army.  I  loved  the  army. 
I  was  finishing  a  four  years'  course  in  the  art  of  war, 
and  in  a  few  months  would  have  been  graduated  from 
the  cannon's  mouth.  The  successful  army  officer,  as  a 
general  rule,  must  necessarily  be  a  man  of  truth,  integ- 
rity, and  courage.  The  successful  politician,  as  a  gen- 
eral rule,  must  necessarily  be  "  all  things  to  all  men." 
But  this  is  only  the  general  rule.  Some  of  our  politi- 
cians are  true  as  the  needle  to  the  pole.  After  consid- 
ering the  question  carefully,  I  finally  made  up  my  mind, 
under  quite  a  pressure,  and  notified  the  State  Central 
Committee  that  I  would  accept  the  nomination. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  PKICE  KAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI 

RETREAT  FROM  JEFFERSON  CITY CONCENTRATION  OF  FED- 
ERAL TROOPS  AT   KANSAS   CITY INJURIOUS   COURSE   OF 

NEWSPAPER BATTLE    OF    THE    LITTLE    BLUE,    OCTOBER 

21,  1864 COUNCIL  OF  WAR,  SATURDAY  NIGHT,  OCTOBER 

22,  1864 BATTLE  OF  WESTPORT,  OCTOBER  23,   1864 

RETREAT  TOWARD  FORT  SCOTT. 

MEANTIME,  General  Price,  of  Confederate  fame, 
had  concentrated  his  forces  in  Southern  Arkan- 
sas, and  was  moving  north  for  a  raid  through  Missouri. 
He  crossed  the  Arkansas  Eiver  at  Dardanelle  on  Sep- 
tember 7,  1864,  almost  under  the  guns  of  General 
Steele  's  forces,  in  the  vicinity  of  Little  Rock,  and  moved 
northward  by  way  of  Batesville  to  Pocahontas,  where 
he  arrived  on  the  sixteenth  of  September.  At  this 
place  General  Price  reorganized  his  invading  army  into 
three  divisions,  commanded  respectively  by  Generals 
Fagan,  Marmaduke,  and  Shelby.  From  Pocahontas, 
General  Price,  with  his  army  as  reorganized,  moved 
north  to  Pilot  Knob  where  General  Ewing  was  sta- 
tioned with  about  fifteen  hundred  Federal  troops, — 
cavalry,  infantry,  and  artillery.  In  the  afternoon  of 
September  26,  Ewing 's  pickets  were  driven  in ;  and  on 
the  morning  of  the  twenty-seventh  a  hard,  stubborn 
fight  began.  Ewing  held  his  position  during  the  day, 
but  being  greatly  outnumbered,  he  deemed  it  advisable 
to  fall  back  to  the  railroad  between  Rolla  and  St.  Louis, 
which  he  succeeded  in  reaching  without  serious  loss. 

From  Pilot  Knob  General  Price  continued  his  march 
northward  with  Jefferson  City  as  his  objective  point. 

139 


140  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

While  Price  was  passing  west  of  St.  Louis,  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Jefferson  City,  General  Rosecrans,  command- 
ing the  Department,  got  busy  and  began  concentrating 
his  troops  at  available  points  with  the  view  of  catching 
the  old  fox.  When  it  was  definitely  known  that  Price 
was  moving  on  Jefferson  City,  General  Rosecrans  or- 
dered Generals  McNeil  and  Sanborn  to  move  from 
Rolla  with  their  brigades  on  parallel  lines  with  Price, 
and  reinforce  General  E.  B.  Brown,  commanding  the 
district  of  Central  Missouri,  with  headquarters  at  Jef- 
ferson City.  General  Price  having  passed  to  the  west 
of  St.  Louis,  General  Rosecrans  dropped  General  A.  J. 
Smith,  with  a  part  of  the  Sixteenth  Corps,  in  his  rear. 

On  the  sixth  of  October  General  Price  crossed  the 
Osage  River,  and  on  the  seventh  he  reached  and  tried 
to  invest  Jefferson  City.  From  the  Osage,  Colonels 
Gravely  and  Phillips,  with  their  cavalry,  contested  the 
enemy's  advance  at  every  available  point,  and  sent  a 
good  many  of  them  to  the  hospital,  and  others  to  the 
happy  hunting-grounds.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the 
seventh  General  Fisk  arrived  and  assumed  command 
of  the  Federal  forces,  with  General  Brown's  Missouri 
troops,  reinforced  by  the  brigades  of  McNeil  and  San- 
born.  Fisk  and  the  whole  command  stood  ready,  if  not 
eager,  to  welcome  their  wayward  neighbors,  with 
"  bloody  hands  to  hospitable  graves." 

During  the  afternoon  General  Price  and  his  lieu- 
tenants moved  about  beyond  the  range  of  rifles,  viewing 
the  entrenchments,  the  forts,  and  the  men  behind  frown- 
ing guns,  until  they  became  weary.  Staring  them  in 
the  face  was  a  condition  more  serious  than  they  had  en- 
countered at  Pilot  Knob.  In  fact,  General  Price  had 
reached  the  north  pole  of  his  perilous  expedition,  and 
for  the  first  time  since  leaving  Camden,  he  saw  that  he 
was  standing  on  slippery  ground.  He  was  afraid  to 
risk  a  battle.  He  dared  not  cross  the  river  or  move 
eastward.  General  A.  J.  Smith,  with  an  army  of 
trained  veterans,  was  advancing  from  the  south,  and 


PRICE  RAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI  141 

Generals  Curtis  and  Blunt  were  rapidly  concentrating 
their  forces  and  the  Kansas  State  troops  at  Kansas 
City.  On  whatsoever  side  he  turned  he  could  see  only 
dark  war-clouds  gathering  thick  and  fast  around  him. 
To  use  a  slang  phrase,  he  was  "  up  against  it,"  and  his 
only  hope  of  escape  was  through  the  blundering  stupid- 
ity of  his  adversaries. 

EETEEAT  FROM  JEFFERSON  CITY 

During  the  first  day  of  his  discontent  at  Jefferson 
City,  October  7,  General  Price's  division  and  brigade 
commanders  played  their  usual  game  of  bluff  at  a  dis- 
tance, and  occasionally  advanced  and  tried  the  Federal 
lines,  but  invariably  fell  back  under  a  galling  fire  to 
places  of  safety.  Late  in  the  evening  Generals  Fagan 
and  Shelby  moved  up  with  their  divisions  and  formed 
with  a  flourish  as  though  they  were  going  to  smash 
things  the  next  morning.  But  when  the  next  morning 
came,  they  were  not  there.  During  the  night  the  divi- 
sions of  Fagan  and  Marmaduke  hit  the  road  leading 
toward  the  setting  sun,  and  early  on  the  morning  of 
the  eighth  Shelby's  division  followed  in  the  wake. 

Scarcely  had  the  enemy  left  the  field  when  the  Fed- 
eral cavalry  under  Colonel  Phillips  was  on  their  heels 
and  flank.  Price,  with  Fagan 's  division  and  their  train, 
moved  off  on  the  road  leading  southwest  to  Eussellville, 
and  thence  northwest  to  Boonville;  Marmaduke,  with 
his  cavalry,  covered  all  the  roads  leading  in  a  south- 
westerly direction,  evidently  with  the  intention  of  mis- 
leading the  Federal  cavalry;  Shelby  pushed  west  on 
the  California  road;  but  they  all  encamped  for  the 
night  in  the  vicinity  of  Russellville. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  eighth  General  Pleas- 
anton  arrived  in  Jefferson  City  and  assumed  command 
of  the  Union  forces.  All  afternoon  of  the  eighth  the 
brigades  of  Phillips  and  Gravely  hung  heavy  on  the 
flanks  of  the  enemy,  fighting  most  of  the  time,  until  it 
was  too  dark  to  see  how  to  shoot.  That  night  General 


142  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

Sanborn  reached  the  front,  and  at  daylight  the  next 
morning  drove  in  the  enemy's  pickets  and  had  a  sharp 
engagement  with  Ma-rmaduke  's  cavalry  in  and  through 
Eussellville.  From  there  General  Price  moved  his 
army  to  Boonville,  where  he  remained  for  two  days, 
when  he  was  routed  and  driven  in  the  direction  of  Lex- 
ington, with  General  Sanborn  heavy  on  his  rear. 

CONCENTRATION  OF  FEDERAL  TROOPS  AT  KANSAS  CITY 

Meantime  Generals  Curtis  and  Blunt,  and  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Kansas,  were  concentrating  their  forces  at 
Kansas  City,  and  General  A.  J.  Smith,  with  a  part  of 
the  Sixteenth  Corps,  was  moving  forward  with  a  stead- 
iness of  &tep  that  bespoke  the  soldier.  When  it  be- 
came known  that  General  Price  was  forging  his  way 
through  Missouri  in  the  direction  of  Kansas,  General 
Thayer  at  Fort  Smith  gave  Colonel  Cloud  and  myself 
leave  of  absence  with  instructions  to  report  to  General 
Curtis  at  Kansas  City.  On  the  twelfth  of  October  we 
left  Fort  Smith  with  a  light  escort ;  and  on  arriving  at 
Fort  Scott,  I  received  a  despatch,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing is  a  copy : 

WYANDOTTE,  October  15,  1864. 
COLONEL  CRAWFORD, 

Fort  Scott : 

General  Blunt  desires  you  to  come  up  immediately  and 
report  to  him  at  Hickman  Mills,  Mo. 

C.  S.  CHARLOT, 
Major  and  Assis't  Adjutant-General. 

I  received  this  despatch  on  the  evening  of  the  seven- 
teenth and  at  one  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  twen- 
tieth Colonel  Cloud  and  I  reported  to  General  Curtis 
at  Independence,  and  were  immediately  assigned  to 
staff  duty. 

General  Blunt,  at  the  time,  was  fighting  Price's  ad- 
vance at  Lexington,  and  I  could  not  reach  him  that  day. 
Besides,  some  twenty-odd  regiments  of  untrained  Kan- 
sas State  Militia  were  in  the  vicinity  of  Kansas  City, 
on  both  sides  of  the  State  line,  and  it  was  the  desire  of 


PRICE  RAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI  143 

General  Curtis  to  have  Colonel  Cloud  and  myself  assist 
Governor  Carney  and  General  Deitzler  in  bringing 
them  to  the  front,  and  getting  them  into  position  and 
condition  to  assist  in  checking  Price  in  his  onward 
march  to  Kansas  City  and  Southern  Kansas.  But,  for 
political  reasons,  our  services  were  respectfully  de- 
clined. General  Deitzler,  Major-General  of  the  Kansas 
State  Militia,  thought  he  had  his  troops  well  organized 
and  could  handle  them  without  assistance,  "  in  case 
they  were  needed  at  the  front."  How  well  he  could 
handle  them  was  very  clearly  demonstrated  that  after- 
noon and  the  succeeding  two  days.  Nor  was  it  the  fault 
of  the  men.  The  truth  is,  they  were  not  handled  at  all. 
They  all  stood  ready  to  move  and  do  their  duty;  but 
unfortunately  some  of  their  officers  of  higher  rank  took 
fright  at  that  imaginary  thing  called  a  State  line. 

Governor  Carney,  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  State 
Militia,  and  his  brigade  commanders,  except  Colonel 
Blair,  were  inexperienced  in  military  affairs,  and  had 
no  conception  of  the  dangers  that  confronted  them  and 
the  State  of  Kansas ;  nor  of  their  duty  and  responsibil- 
ity. Martial  law  had  been  declared  in  Kansas  —  that 
is,  the  laws  of  the  State  had  been  suspended  —  and 
everything,  including  Governor  Carney  and  his  State 
Militia,  was  under  the  military  rule  and  control  of 
Major-General  Curtis.  But  Governor  Carney  and  his 
Militia  generals  did  not  grasp  or  comprehend  the  situa- 
tion, nor  realize  the  consequences  of  their  inexcusable 
conduct. 

INJURIOUS  COURSE  OF  NEWSPAPER 

The  Governor,  at  the  time,  owned  a  newspaper  which 
was  freely  circulated  among  his  Militia ;  and  up  to  the 
time  when  General  Blunt  was  fighting  and  falling  back 
before  Price's  advance  from  Lexington  to  Independ- 
ence, Governor  Carney's  paper  —  under  scarecrow 
headlines  —  was  telling  the  Militia  and  people  of  Kan- 
sas that  Price  was  not  in  Missouri ;  that  the  whole  thing 


144  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

was  a  political  scheme  of  Senator  Lane  to  get  the 
Militia  of  the  State  called  out  for  political  purposes; 
that  under  the  laws  of  Kansas  (which  has  been  sus- 
pended) the  Militia  did  not  have  to  cross  the  State  line ; 
and  other  similar  statements,  calculated  to  discourage 
and  demoralize  the  State  troops  and  render  them  of 
little  use  when  the  enemy  appeared. 

If,  at  the  proper  time,  General  Curtis  had  arrested 
a  half-dozen  politicians  in  the  Militia  camps  and  sent 
them  to  Fort  Leavenworth  in  irons,  and  at  the  same 
time  shot  one  or  two  Militia  brigadiers  from  the  can- 
non's mouth,  he  could  have  had  an  invincible  army  of 
fifteen  thousand  men  —  infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery 
—  in  line,  confronting  Price  when  he  crossed  the  Blue 
on  the  twenty-second.  But  instead,  most  of  them 
were  away  at  a  distance  where  they  could  be  of  no 
assistance. 

Price  was  there  in  a  trap,  with  the  Missouri  River 
on  his  right,  Pleasonton  in  his  rear,  and  General  A.  J. 
Smith  on  his  left.  If  Curtis  had  had  his  troops  in 
proper  position,  the  Price  raid  would  have  ended  then 
and  there.  But  Curtis 's  troops  were  not  in  the  proper 
position.  Three  brigades  were  scattered  from  Olathe 
to  Leavenworth  —  ten,  twenty,  and  thirty  miles  away 
-with  Governor  Carney's  newspaper  and  some  of  his 
Militia  generals  telling  the  troops  that  Price  was  not 
coming.  General  Curtis  made  a  faint  effort  to  concen- 
trate his  troops  at  Kansas  City,  but  his  orders  were 
disobeyed  with  impunity ;  and  as  a  result,  Price  slipped 
through  the  lines  with  his  shattered  forces,  after  they 
had  been  hammered  to  a  frazzle  and  driven  into  a  cor- 
ral by  Pleasonton 's  forces  —  mostly  State  troops  of 
Missouri. 

Any  person  who  cares  to  do  so  can  readily  find  a 
distinction  with  a  difference,  by  contrasting  the  con- 
duct of  Pleasonton  and  his  brigade  commanders  with 
that  of  Carney,  Dietzler,  and  their  brigadiers.  To  a 
soldier  the  comparison  is  odious,  except  in  so  far  as 


PRICE  RAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI  145 

Colonel  Blair  was  concerned.  He  was  a  courageous  of- 
ficer, and  handled  his  brigade  with  skill.  But  of  the 
others  —  their  conduct  speaks  for  them.  Nor  does  the 
blame  for  such  conduct  attach  to  their  regimental  or 
line  officers ;  nor  to  the  men  composing  the  regiments 
and  battalions.  They  all  stood  ready  to  obey  orders 
and  do  their  duty,  the  same  as  Colonel  Blair's  brigade; 
and  the  regiments,  battalions,  and  batteries  of  Colonels 
Veale,  Snoddy,  Montgomery,  Colton,  Hagan,  Murdock, 
Her,  Ross,  Burns,  and  others,  who  crossed  the  State  line 
and  faced  the  enemy  with  the  courage  of  true  soldiers. 

No,  the  trouble  was  not  with  the  men,  line  officers, 
or  regimental  commanders,  but  lay  at  the  tent-door  of 
General  Curtis,  who  allowed  Governor  Carney  and  his 
plumed  political  brigadiers  to  scatter  the  seeds  of  dis- 
cord and  mutiny  all  over  the  camp.  They  all  knew  that 
Price  was  approaching  Kansas  with  a  large  army,  and 
their  whole  object  and  aim  seemed  to  be  to  demoralize 
the  Militia  and  baffle  Curtis  in  his  every  attempt  to  con- 
centrate his  troops  and  be  prepared  to  meet  Price  and 
his  army.  Hence,  I  say  that  such  mutineers  should 
have  been  put  in  irons  or  tried  by  a  drumhead  court- 
martial,  and  shot  before  breakfast.  But  neither  was 
done.  They  were  allowed  to  go  on  playing  their  game 
among  the  troops  with  impunity;  and  before  it  was 
concluded  the  enemy's  guns  were  thundering  at  the 
gates  of  Kansas  City. 

That  they  all  had  positive  proof  that  Price  with  a 
large  army  was  in  Missouri  and  rapidly  approaching 
Kansas,  will  be  observed  by  reading  the  despatches, 
proclamations,  communications,  orders,  and  reports  of 
General  Kosecrans  and  others,  as  shown  by  the  Re- 
bellion Records,  published  in  full  by  the  War  Depart- 
ment. General  Curtis  was  a  grand  good  man,  and 
meant  well ;  but  as  a  general  in  command  of  an  army 
in  the  field,  like  General  Fred.  Steele,  he  fell  short,  and 
in  the  face  of  an  enemy  was  helpless  as  a  child. 

At  Kansas  City  we  were  face  to  face  with  a  condi- 


146  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

tion.  Price  was  advancing  with  an  army  of  at  least 
nine  thousand  veteran  soldiers,  beside  two  or  three 
thousand  recruits  and  bushwhackers.  To  meet  this 
force  General  Curtis  had  four  thousand  veteran  sol- 
diers and  fifteen  thousand  State  Militia.  Price's 
army  had  been  marching  and  fighting  from  Pilot  Knob 
to  Jefferson  City,  and  thence  retreating  and  fighting  to 
Lexington,  Missouri.  His  horses  were  jaded,  and  many 
of  them  unserviceable ;  and  his  men  were  tired,  ragged, 
hungry,  and  short  of  ammunition.  Curtis 's  troops 
were  fresh,  well  mounted,  armed,  and  equipped  with 
everything  essential ;  and  yet  in  the  crisis  he  hesitated, 
declined  to  move  out  and  face  Price  on  the  open  field. 

General  Blunt,  with  a  brigade  of  cavalry,  met 
Price 's  advance  at  Lexington  on  the  nineteenth  and  con- 
tested every  inch  of  the  ground  from  there  to  the 
Little  Blue  River,  in  order  to  give  General  Curtis  time 
to  concentrate  his  forces  and  put  them  in  line  for  action. 

BATTLE  OF  THE  LITTLE  BLUE,  OCTOBER  21,  1864 

When  General  Blunt  reached  the  Little  Blue  he 
made  a  stand  with  one  brigade  of  cavalry  and  two  sec- 
tions of  artillery,  and  held  Price  in  check  until  about 
noon  of  the  twenty-first,  when  he  was  ordered  to  fall 
back  to  the  Big  Blue.  His  position  at  the  Little  Blue 
was  well  chosen,  and  had  he  been  reinforced  with  one 
brigade  of  infantry  and  another  battery,  he  could  have 
held  the  crossing  until  Grant  reached  Appomattox. 
There  was  no  other  bridge  on  that  stream  over  which 
Price  could  have  crossed  his  train  and  artillery  en 
route  to  Independence.  But  instead  of  reinforcing 
Blunt,  General  Curtis  ordered  him  to  fall  back,  and  he 
obeyed  orders. 

While  Blunt  was  holding  Price's  advance  in  check 
at  the  Little  Blue,  General  Pleasonton's  division  was 
slashing  him  right  and  left  in  the  rear.  But  when  Blunt 
retired,  Price's  engineers  repaired  the  bridge,  and  the 
next  morning  his  troops  and  trains  crossed  over  and 


PRICE  RAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI  147 

moved  forward  on  the  road  to  Independence,  followed 
closely  by  Pleasonton 's  force. 

Before  reaching  Independence,  Fagan's  division, 
witn  the  trains,  took  the  left-hand  road  leading  to 
Westport,  leaving  Marmaduke  to  hold  Pleasonton's 
troops  in  check  as  best  he  could.  From  the  Little  Blue 
Pleasonton  drove  Marmaduke 's  division  steadily 
through  the  fields,  over  hills,  and  around  hedge-fences 
to  Independence,  and  on  at  a  run  down  to  Rock  Creek, 
and  up  almost  to  the  muzzles  of  Curtis 's  guns  at  the 
Kansas  City  crossing  of  the  Big  Blue.  From  here, 
Marmaduke,  defeated  in  every  engagement  during  the 
day,  and  finding  himself  almost  surrounded  at  night, 
retreated  southward  and  rejoined  Price  and  Fagan, 
who  had  thrown  up  their  job  and  started  home. 

Had  General  Curtis  been  equal  to  the  emergency, 
Price  never  could  have  escaped  from  the  trap  he  was  in. 
While  Blunt  was  holding  the  crossing  at  the  Little 
Blue  on  the  twenty-first,  Curtis  should  have  brought 
forward  all  his  State  troops  and  stationed  a  heavy 
brigade  of  infantry,  with  artillery,  at  each  crossing  of 
the  Big  Blue,  leaving  Blunt  to  strike  with  the  cavalry 
where  he  could  do  the  most  good.  Then  with  Pleason- 
ton in  the  rear  and  A.  J.  Smith  on  the  flank,  Price, 
crippled  as  he  was,  could  not  have  escaped.  But  un- 
fortunately, General  Curtis  was  not  in  a  fighting  mood. 

After  Pleasonton  had  defeated  Marmaduke 's  troops 
on  the  twenty-second  and  started  them  on  a  run  for 
Dixie,  General  Curtis  abandoned  the  Big  Blue  and  fell 
back  on  Kansas  City,  preparatory  to  retreating  to  Fort 
Leavenworth.  From  some  cause  the  old  gentleman  lost 
his  nerve,  and  while  Pleasonton  was  hammering  the  life 
out  of  Marmaduke  within  hearing  of  the  guns,  and 
Blunt  was  fighting  Joe  Shelby  at  the  upper  crossings 
of  the  Big  Blue,  with  a  handful  of  men  at  each,  General 
Curtis,  without  consultation,  was  moving  his  ammuni- 
tion and  baggage  trains  across  the  Kansas  River, 
headed  for  Leavenworth. 

Of  this  movement  General  Blunt  and  his  officers 


148  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

knew  nothing,  and  at  first  no  one  believed  it;  but  later 
the  report  was  confirmed,  and  it  created  consternation 
and  no  little  indignation  among  the  officers  at  the  front 
who  happened  to  hear  of  it.  General  Blunt  immediately 
sent  a  staff  officer  to  Curtis  with  the  request  that  he 
bring  back  the  ammunition  wagons  and  troops,  and 
also  the  horses  of  Colonel  Blair's  brigade,  which,  with- 
out his  knowledge,  had  been  sent  across  the  Kansas 
Eiver.  General  Curtis  had  most  of  Deitzler's  division, 
at  least  five  thousand  State  troops,  back  near  the  State 
line,  which  should  have  been  sent  to  the  front  early  in 
the  morning.  If  that  had  been  done,  the  battle  would 
have  been  fought  on  Saturday,  the  twenty-second,  by 
the  combined  forces  of  Curtis  and  Pleasonton.  But 
that  was  not  done.  General  Curtis  seemed  to  have  lost 
his  head  at  the  critical  moment,  and  ordered  his  troops 
to  the  rear  instead  of  the  front. 

COUNCIL  OF  WAR,  SATURDAY  NIGHT,  OCTOBER  22,  1864 

Late  on  Saturday  afternoon  General  Curtis  con- 
sented to  call  a  Council  of  War,  to  meet  at  the  Gillis 
House  in  Kansas  City  that  night.  It  was  then  known 
by  all  who  were  at  the  front  during  the  day  that  Price 
had  abandoned  all  hope  of  entering  Kansas  City  on  the 
Independence  Eoad,  and  that  his  only  hope  was  to 
come  in  from  the  southeast  on  the  Westport  Road. 
To  guard  against  this  remote  possibility,  General  Blunt 
stationed  his  division  accordingly,  and  at  the  same  time 
directed  me  to  assist  in  the  formation  of  a  second  line 
on  the  road  to  Kansas  City,  with  the  regiments  of  the 
Kansas  State  Militia,  which  were  within  reach. 

When  this  work  was  completed,  I  rode  over  to  the 
Gillis  House  and  found  a  lively  Council  of  War  in  suc- 
cessful operation.  General  Curtis,  General  Blunt,  Gen- 
eral Jas.  H.  Lane,  and  a  number  of  staff  officers  and 
volunteer  aides  were  present.  General  Curtis,  the 
Major-General  commanding,  was  strenuously  insisting 
upon  crossing  the  Kansas  River  with  the  remainder  of 


PRICE  RAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI  149 

his  troops  and  retreating  to  Leavenworth.  That,  of 
course,  meant  the  destruction  of  Kansas  City  and  the 
devastation  of  Southern  Kansas.  It  also  meant  an 
abandonment  of  General  Pleasonton  and  his  troops, 
who  had  driven  Price  to  the  very  muzzle  of  our  guns ; 
and  worse,  it  meant  the  brand  of  cowardice  indelibly 
stamped  upon  soldiers  who  had  never  flinched  or  fal- 
tered in  the  face  of  an  enemy. 

Every  officer  present  at  the  council,  except  General 
Curtis,  felt  absolutely  certain  that  even  without  Pleas- 
onton 's  division,  we  had  men  enough  to  meet  Price  on 
the  open  field  or  anywhere  else;  and  to  listen  to  talk 
about  retreating  was  galling  in  the  extreme.  Finally, 
about  two  o'clock  on  Sunday  morning  it  became  un- 
bearable, when  some  of  the  officers  took  General  Blunt 
to  the  other  end  of  the  parlor  and  told  him  that  there 
was  but  one  thing  for  him  to  do,  and  that  was  to  place 
General  Curtis  in  close  arrest  and  assume  command. 
General  Blunt  replied  by  saying :  '  *  Gentlemen,  that  is 
a  serious  thing  to  do. ' ' 

"  Yes,"  we  replied,  "  but  not  so  serious  as  for  this 
army  to  run  away  like  cowards  and  let  Price  sack  Kan- 
sas City  and  devastate  Southern  Kansas." 

In  reply  to  this,  General  Blunt  asked  the  question, 
' l  Will  the  army  stand  by  me  ?  ' 

"  Yes,"  we  replied,  "  and  we  will  stand  by  you 
while  making  the  arrest." 

The  General  then  said  that  something  must  be  done, 
and  done  quickly ;  whereupon  we  all  walked  back,  and 
standing  in  front  of  Curtis,  while  Senator  Lane  was 
still  arguing  with  him,  General  Blunt  said  in  no  uncer- 
tain tones:  "  General  Curtis,  what  do  you  propose  to 
do?  " 

General  Curtis  looked  up  and,  seeing  determination 
depicted  on  resolute  faces,  thought  a  moment  and  said, 
' '  General  Blunt,  I  will  leave  the  whole  matter  to  you. 
If  you  say  fight,  then  fight  it  is. ' ' 

Blunt 's  reply  was,  "  I  say  fight,  and  we  will  con- 


150  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

centrate  the  troops  on  the  prairie  south  of  Westport.  * ' 
Then  requesting  Curtis  to  have  the  troops,  ammunition 
train,  and  cavalry  horses  brought  from  over  the  river, 
he  asked  me  to  go  to  the  front  with  him. 

BATTLE  OF  WESTPORT,  OCTOBER  23,  1864 

At  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  October  23,  the 
Council  of  War  terminated,  and  General  Blunt  and  I 
mounted  our  horses  and  started  for  the  front.  We 
arrived  at  Westport  while  it  was  yet  dark,  and  the  Gen- 
eral immediately  sent  staff  officers  in  haste  with  or- 
ders to  the  various  brigades  and  batteries  of  his  divi- 
sion to  move  promptly  to  the  prairie  a  mile  southeast 
of  Westport.  A  part  of  his  division,  with  the  First  Col- 
orado battery,  was  already  in  Westport ;  and  others,  as 
fast  as  they  arrived,  were  pushed  forward  across  Brush 
Creek  and  formed  in  line  of  battle. 

The  first  line  was  composed  of  the  Eleventh,  Fif- 
teenth, and  Sixteenth  Kansas  Cavalry,  a  battalion  of 
Missouri  cavalry  under  Captain  Grover,  the  Second 
Colorado  Cavalry,  and  a  section  of  McLain's  battery. 
The  second  line,  or  reserve  force,  was  composed  of 
State  troops,  infantry,  and  dismounted  cavalry.  In  a 
short  time  after  Blunt 's  lines  were  formed,  Shelby's 
division  of  Price's  army  appeared  on  the  farther  side 
of  the  prairie,  about  a  mile  distant.  Blunt  immediately 
opened  on  Shelby  with  McLain's  two  guns,  which  were 
answered  by  two  guns  from  the  other  side  of  the  field. 

Instead  of  having  two  guns  in  action,  and  a  half- 
dozen  regiments  of  State  Militia  in  line  as  a  reserve,  he 
should  have  had  twelve  guns,  McLain's  and  Dodge's 
full  batteries,  ten  howitzers,  and  twenty  regiments  of 
State  troops  —  most  of  which  had  been  scattered  about 
three  or  four  miles  in  the  rear  by  Generals  Curtis  and 
Dietzler,  where  they  were  of  no  earthly  benefit. 

We  all  knew  (or  should  have  known)  that  Price  was 
trying  to  get  out  of  a  trap  with  his  troops  and  train. 
We  all  knew  that  Pleasonton's  troops  were  hammering 


PRICE  RAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI  151 

him  desperately  in  the  rear  and  on  his  left  flank;  and 
we  had  good  reason  to  know  that  Shelby 's  division  was 
thrown  out  on  Price 's  right  flank  that  morning  to  hold 
Curtis  back  and  prevent  his  forming  a  junction  with 
Pleasonton.  All  these  things  General  Blunt  and  his 
officers  who  were  at  the  front  knew;  and  every  regi- 
ment present  was  ready  at  any  moment  to  charge 
Shelby's  battalions  scattered  as  they  were  over  the 
field. 

While  MeLain's  two  guns  were  exchanging  shots 
with  Shelby's  guns,  there  was  an  occasional  clash  or 
skirmish  on  different  parts  of  the  field,  which  invariably 
resulted  in  our  troops  driving  the  enemy  back.  In  fact, 
every  movement  showed  that  Shelby  was  not  there  to 
fight.  He  had  no  consecutive  line  of  battle.  His  regi- 
ments were  scattered  about  over  the  prairie  where  they 
would  show  to  best  advantage ;  and  when  Blunt  should 
have  made  a  dash  and  cleared  the  field,  he  ordered  his 
troops,  in  response  to  an  order  from  General  Curtis, 
who  was  on  the  roof  of  the  Harris  Hotel  in  Westport, 
to  fall  back  to  the  north  side  of  Brush  Creek  among 
bushes  and  underbrush  where  it  was  impossible  to 
handle  cavalry. 

This  was  an  unfortunate  movement,  and  led  to  con- 
fusion and  the  loss  of  valuable  time.  What  Shelby 
thought  of  it  while  he  was  hanging  by  the  gills,  of 
course,  we  had  no  way  of  knowing.  But  what  many  of 
the  officers  on  our  side  thought,  was  plainly  expressed 
in  terse  language.  The  retrograde  movement  at  that 
particular  time  was  inexcusable.  If  Blunt  had  been 
left  alone  and  properly  supported,  he  would  have 
driven  Shelby  from  the  field  in  the  early  morning,  arid 
been  on  Price 's  right  flank  cooperating  with  Pleasonton. 
But  General  Curtis  did  not  see  it  that  way,  and  his 
word  was  law. 

When  Blunt 's  cavalry  moved  back  to  Brush  Creek, 
Shelby  moved  his  brigades  farther  out  on  the  prairie, 
and  was  playing  his  game  of  bluff  to  the  queen's  taste. 


152  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

But  finally,  Blunt  returned  to  the  field  with  his  cavalry, 
and  then  there  was  something  doing.  He  moved  to  the 
right  with  the  Eleventh  and  Fifteenth  Kansas,  and 
Grover's  battalion  of  Missouri  cavalry,  and  directed 
me  to  look  after  the  Sixteenth  Kansas  and  Second  Col- 
orado Cavalry  on  the  left. 

In  front  of  these  two  regiments,  about  four  hundred 
yards  distant,  was  a  brigade  of  Shelby's  troops  on  the 
open  prairie.  When  I  came  up,  both  lines  were  using 
their  carbines  in  a  random  sort  of  way,  but  so  far 
apart  that  neither  could  hurt  the  other.  I  instantly 
ordered  the  commanding  officers  of  the  two  regiments 
to  sling  their  carbines  and  draw  pistols,  which  was  done 
in  one  time  and  two  motions.  I  then  ordered  the 
bugler  to  sound  the  advance  and  the  charge.  With  a 
yell  the  men  of  two  regiments  dashed  forward,  and  in 
less  than  three  minutes  the  Rebels  were  flying  at  full 
speed  over  the  prairie  with  our  men  in  close  pursuit. 

About  the  same  time  General  Blunt  made  a  charge 
on  the  right,  driving  everything  before  him,  until  we 
cleared  the  field  and  Shelby  was  in  full  retreat.  This 
was  what  I  wanted  Blunt  to  do  when  Shelby  first  ap- 
peared on  the  prairie,  early  in  the  morning,  but  he 
thought  best  to  wait  until  the  enemy  was  more  fully 
developed,  lest  we  dash  into  Price's  main  force.  He 
had  been  cautioned  by  General  Curtis,  who  was  still  on 
the  roof  of  the  Harris  Hotel  in  Westport,  a  mile  in  the 
rear. 

EETEEAT  TOWAED  FORT  SCOTT 

As  soon  as  Shelby  was  driven  from  the  field,  Gen- 
eral Curtis  came  to  the  front,  booted,  spurred,  and 
ready  to  follow  whithersoever  Price  might  lead.  While 
Shelby  was  playing  hide-and-seek  with  him,  Price,  with 
his  train  and  the  remainder  of  his  army,  was  moving 
rapidly  in  the  direction  of  Fort  Scott,  with  Pleason- 
ton  still  hanging  like  a  bulldog  on  his  flank  and  rear. 
Leaving  most  of  his  own  troops  behind,  General  Curtis 


PRICE  RAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI  153 

with  a  light  heart  and  escort,  dropped  in  the  wake, 
Overtaking  Pleasonton  in  the  afternoon,  he  asserted  his 
rank  and  assumed  command. 

General  Blunt,  with  a  part  of  his  division,  pushed 
south  on  the  line  road  to  Little  Santa  Fe,  where  they 
all  stopped  and  camped  for  the  night.  There,  while 
General  Curtis  was  resting,  sleeping,  and  writing  flam- 
ing despatches,  General  Price  was  moving  at  a  run  to 
save  his  demoralized  army.  After  halting  at  Little 
Santa  Fe  from  4  P.  M.  Sunday  until  6  A.  M.  Monday, 
General  Curtis  resumed  the  pursuit,  with  Blunt 's  divi- 
sion in  advance.  But  Price's  forces  had  been  moving 
rapidly  all  night,  and  on  Monday  morning  when  Blunt 
started,  they  were  twenty-odd  miles  away. 

On  Monday  evening  Curtis  halted  at  West  Point, 
Missouri,  to  let  the  men  and  animals  rest  and  get  some- 
thing to  eat.  Price  camped  that  night  at  the  Trading 
Post  in  Kansas,  about  twenty-five  miles  north  of  Fort 
Scott  —  our  depot  of  army  supplies.  After  resting 
some  four  hours,  General  Curtis  resumed  the  pursuit 
with  Pleasonton 's  division  in  advance.  This  offended 
Blunt,  because  Price  was  now  on  Kansas  soil,  and  he 
thought  the  Kansas  troops  should  be  at  the  front. 

Nevertheless,  about  8  P.  M.  General  Pleasonton 
moved,  with  Sanborn 's  brigade  in  advance.  Curtis,  in 
his  ambulance,  followed  in  rear  of  Sanborn  until  two 
o  'clock  the  next  morning  —  Tuesday,  October  25  — 
when,  receiving  a  message  from  Sanborn  to  the  effect 
that  he  had  driven  in  the  enemy's  pickets  and  found 
a  strong  force  stationed  on  the  hills  in  his  immediate 
front,  General  Curtis  halted  and  sent  back  orders  to 
Sanborn  to  remain  where  he  was  until  daylight  and 
then  move  forward.  It  was  then  about  3  A.  M.  and 
quite  dark  and  drizzling. 

Colonel  Blair,  who  had  previously  been  in  command 
of  a  brigade  of  Kansas  State  troops,  and  whose  home 
and  family  were  in  Fort  Scott,  came  up  at  this  time, 
and  he  and  I  were  discussing  the  situation  when  Curtis 


154  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

despatched  his  last  order  to  Sanborn.  Hearing  this 
order,  Colonel  Blair  was  very  much  depressed,  and  said 
to  me :  *  *  Fort  Scott  is  gone. ' '  I  said  '  *  No,  we  yet  have 
two  chances  to  save  the  town.  First,  let  's  try  and  get 
Curtis  to  send  General  Blunt  with  his  division  around 
to  the  west,  and  strike  Price  at  daylight  while  crossing 
the  river  near  his  camp,  which  he  must  do  when  he 
moves.  Second,  if  Blunt  fails  to  get  there  in  time,  then 
let  Curtis  have  him  fiercely  assail  Price 's  rear  with  his 
fresh  troops  and  horses,  and  not  let  up  until  he  forces 
a  battle." 

These  two  propositions  Colonel  Blair  and  I  sub- 
mitted to  General  Curtis  about  three  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  October  25.  To  the  first  he  shook  his  head 
and  said, l '  No,  I  will  not  separate  the  forces. ' '  To  the 
second,  he  said,  "  Yes,  I  am  going  to  fight  the  battle 
over  on  the  prairie  south  of  the  river  early  in  the 
morning."  Blair  and  I  both  knew  what  that  meant. 
Every  officer  in  both  armies  (except  Curtis)  knew  that 
Price  was  not  going  to  stop  and  fight  a  battle  if  he 
could  possibly  avoid  it.  His  army  had  been  retreating 
and  fighting  from  the  time  he  passed  Jefferson  City, 
and  he  was  in  no  condition  to  fight  a  battle.  Besides,  he 
was  necessarily  out  of  rations  and  forage,  and  Fort 
Scott  was  his  last  hope. 

We  told  General  Curtis  all  these  things,  and  more, 
but  we  could  not  move  him  from  his  preconceived  idea 
that  Price  was  going  to  stop  and  wait  for  him.  Fail- 
ing in  everything  else,  we  told  him  that  Pleasonton's 
men  having  been  in  the  saddle  for  thirty  days  or  more, 
flanking  and  fighting  to  keep  Price  first  out  of  Jeffer- 
son City  and  then  out  of  Kansas  City,  were  well-nigh 
exhausted ;  that  his  horses  were  jaded,  and  on  that  ac- 
count we  thought  he  ought  to  order  Blunt 's  division  to 
the  front.  But  for  some  unexplained  reason  he  even 
declined  to  do  that. 

Then  Blair  and  I  turned  away  from  him  and  agreed 
to  go  to  the  front  at  daylight  and  do  what  little  we 


PRICE  RAID  THROUGH  MISSOURI  155 

could  to  save  Fort  Scott.  General  Price's  troops 
crossed  the  river  during  the  latter  part  of  the  night, 
except  one  brigade  left  back  to  check  Sanborn's  ad- 
vance. Colonel  Blair  and  I  reached  the  front  before  it 
was  quite  light,  while  Sanborn  was  engaging  Price's 
rear  guard  north  of  the  river.  After  crossing  his  train 
and  artillery,  Price  had  chopped  down  trees  on  both 
banks  to  delay  Curtis.  This,  however,  did  not  seriously 
impede  the  progress  of  the  cavalry,  and  Sanborn's 
brigade,  followed  by  other  brigades,  soon  crossed  over. 

From  the  Marais  des  Cygnes,  Price  moved  south  on 
the  old  military  road  leading  to  Fort  Scott,  with  Shel- 
by's division  in  advance,  followed  by  the  train  and  the 
divisions  of  Fagan  and  Marmaduke  in  the  order  men- 
tioned. Two  separate  Brigades  —  General  Tyler's  and 
Colonel  Jackman  's  —  were  on  the  flanks,  and  Colonel 
Nichols  and  a  horde  of  recruits  were  out  as  freebooters 
scouring  the  country  for  something  to  eat. 

When  Marmaduke 's  rear-guard  crossed  the  Marais 
des  Cygnes  a  regiment  was  formed  in  line  about  six 
hundred  yards  south  of  the  ford.  Colonel  Blair  and  I 
reached  and  crossed  the  river  in  the  rear  of  the  Second 
Arkansas  Cavalry,  which  regiment  was  immediately 
deployed  and  moved  forward  to  within  about  four  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  Eebel  rear  so  formed.  The  two  lines 
were  facing  each  other  on  the  open  prairie  with  about 
the  same  number  of  men  in  each. 

The  Second  Arkansas  belonged  to  Pleasonton's 
division,  and  on  that  account  I  hesitated  about  inter- 
fering, but  rode  forward  to  the  rear  of  the  regiment, 
where  I  was  met  by  Adjutant  Remiatee,  who  had  for- 
merly been  with  me  in  the  Second  Kansas  Cavalry. 
With  the  Adjutant  I  rode  to  the  left  of  the  regiment  to 
get  a  better  view  of  the  situation  and  see  if  the  enemy 
had  a  reserve  force  upon  which  to  fall  back. 

Finding  the  field  absolutely  clear,  I  told  Remiatee 
his  regiment  must  charge  and  break  that  line.  Riding 
back  to  about  the  centre  of  the  regiment  we  met  the 


156  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

commanding  officer,  and  I  ordered  him  to  make  the 
charge ;  this  he  did  without  hesitation,  and  I  stayed  with 
him  until  the  enemy  broke  and  fled  from  the  field.  The 
Rebels  had  two  howitzers  in  their  line,  which  we  should 
have  secured,  but  for  a  mistake  of  one  of  the  captains 
in  ordering  a  halt  at  the  wrong  time.  But  the  regiment, 
considering  the  condition  of  their  horses,  made  a  most 
gallant  charge,  and  deserved  great  credit  for  it. 

I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  regimental  com- 
mander who  made  the  charge,  but  presume  it  was  John 
E.  Phelps,  Colonel  of  the  regiment.  This  rear-guard, 
when  routed,  did  not  stop  until  the  men  overtook  Mar- 
maduke's  main  column,  which  was  wending  its  way 
over  the  prairie  in  the  direction  of  Mine  Creek. 

Within  a  few  minutes  after  this  charge  was  made, 
Major  Hopkins,  with  a  battalion  of  the  Second  Kansas 
Cavalry,  and  Captain  Green,  with  a  battalion  of  the 
Second  Colorado  Cavalry,  came  up  with  their  men  and 
horses  in  good  condition  and  joined  in  the  pursuit.  We 
gained  rapidly  on  Marmaduke's  forces,  until  he  was 
compelled  to  throw  a  regiment  in  line  to  hold  our  ad- 
vance in  check,  while  he  was  forming  his  division  for 
action, 


CHAPTER  XII 

PEICE  JS  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE 

BATTLE  OF   MINE  CREEK  —  CHARGE  OF  COLONELS  PHILLIPS 

AND  BENTEEN GEN.  PRICE 's  REPORT BATTLE  OF  THE 

LITTLE  OSAGE,  OCTOBER  25,   1864 GEN.   SHELBY 's  RE- 
PORT   PRICE       DEMORALIZED THE       PURSUIT HIS 

ESCAPE  —  THE  LAST  DITCH. 

THE  battle  of  Mine  Creek  was  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant of  all  the  battles  ever  fought  on  the  soil 
of  Kansas.  General  Price  with  an  army  of  about  nine 
thousand  ragged,  hungry  soldiers,  after  a  wild,  reck- 
less raid  through  Missouri,  was  trying  to  make  his  es- 
cape through  Kansas  and  back  to  the  dismal  swamps 
of  the  Sunny  South.  He  had  been  fighting  and  running 
for  thirty  consecutive  days  and  his  deluded  followers 
were  crying  for  bread. 

Price  was  on  his  last  legs,  and  his  men  were  on  their 
uppers.  At  Fort  Scott,  twenty  miles  away,  was  a  Fed- 
eral depot  of  army  supplies ;  and  to  reach  and  capture 
that  post  was  the  ambition  of  his  military  life.  To 
keep  him  out  of  Fort  Scott  was  the  determination  of  the 
Federal  troops,  including  Colonel  Blair,  Colonel  Cloud, 
and  myself.  We  three  had  previously  fought  Price, 
Marmaduke,  Shelby,  and  Fagan  at  Wilson 's  Creek  and 
on  other  bloody  fields.  We  had  been  ordered  from  an- 
other department  to  assist  in  keeping  these  bold  riders 
out  of  Kansas,  and  we  could  not  afford  to  linger  in 
the  rear  and  let  Fort  Scott  go  down. 

On  the  field  at  Westport  we  became  satisfied  that 
Shelby  was  short  of  ammunition.  In  charging  Marma- 
duke 's  rear  early  that  morning  I  knew  his  men  were  not 

157 


158  KANSAS   IN    THE   SIXTIES 

prepared  to  fight,  because  the  regiment  making  the 
charge  did  not  lose  a  single  man.  Of  course,  the  enemy 
had  a  limited  supply,  but  not  enough  to  hold  a  pursuing 
army  in  check ;  and  I  was  thoroughly  convinced  of  that 
fact  when  Marmaduke  was  forming  his  line  of  battle 
north  of  Mine  Creek. 

His  rear  guard  formed  on  top  of  the  hill  or  eleva- 
tion in  his  front,  to  hold  the  Federal  troops  back  while 
he  was  forming  his  main  line.  But  his  rear-guard  did 
not  stand  on  the  hill  a  minute  before  the  guns  of  our 
advancing  troops.  They  broke  and  fell  back  on  Mar- 
maduke's  main  force,  which  was  then  rapidly  forming 
in  two  lines,  parallel  with  the  creek.  When  Marma- 
duke's  rear-guard  broke,  we  deployed  two  companies  of 
cavalry  as  skirmishers  and  pushed  them  forward  to 
within  about  four  hundred  yards  of  the  enemy,  and 
held  the  remainder  of  the  advance  in  line  as  a  reserve. 

As  our  skirmish  line  advanced,  Marmaduke  opened 
fire  with  two  pieces  of  artillery.  I  then  sent  Sergeant 
J.  P.  Hiner,  of  Company  A,  Second  Kansas,  back  to  tell 
General  Blunt  that  the  enemy  had  halted  and  formed  in 
line  of  battle,  and  asked  him  to  bring  his  division  to  the 
front  as  quickly  as  possible.  When  Sergeant  Hiner 
started,  I  called  in  the  skirmishers  and  ordered  Major 
Hopkins  and  Captain  Green  to  move  their  battalions 
over  in  front  of  Marmaduke 's  extreme  left,  so  as  to  give 
Blunt  an  open  field  when  he  arrived. 

I  knew  he  was  furiously  mad  about  having  been  put 
in  the  rear  at  West  Point  the  previous  evening,  when 
his  men  and  horses  were  comparatively  fresh,  but  I  had 
no  doubt  about  his  coming  to  the  front  quickly  when  he 
heard  that  Price  was  in  battle  array  on  Kansas  soil. 
After  waiting  a  short  time,  which  seemed  to  be  longer 
than  it  was,  Sergeant  Hiner  returned  with  the  informa- 
tion that  General  Blunt  was  still  roaring  and  declined 
in  most  vigorous  terms  to  take  any  further  part.  For 
the  exact  language  used  by  the  General  on  that  occa- 
sion, I  must  refer  the  reader  to  Mr.  J.  P.  Hiner  of 


PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE  159 

Paola,  Kansas,  late  Treasurer  of  Miami  County ;  but  it 
was  terse  and  vigorous.  Nothing  like  it  is  found  in  any 
of  the  chapters  of  the  New  Testament. 

It  was  a  sad  disappointment  to  Colonel  Blair  and 
myself.  For  thirty  minutes  we  had  been  picturing 
such  a  cavalry  scene  as  is  seldom  witnessed  on  the 
field  of  battle.  The  formation  of  the  ground  —  a 
broad,  smooth,  down-grade  prairie  —  was  perfect. 
Marmaduke  had  formed  his  lines  on  the  farther  side 
with  a  skirt  of  timber  along  the  creek  in  his  rear. 
Fagan's  division  was  in  line  on  the  other  side  of  the 
creek  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  rear  of  Marmaduke. 

When  Sergeant  Hiner  returned  and  reported  that 
Blunt  was  not  coming,  he  and  I  rode  back  to  the  summit 
of  the  divide  and  meeting  Col.  Blair,  held  a  brief  council 
of  war.  Marmaduke 's  lines  were  in  our  immediate 
front  and  Fagan's  troops  in  full  view  on  the  farther 
side  of  the  creek.  I  said  to  Blair  that  we  must  break 
those  lines  north  of  the  creek  with  a  charge,  and  force 
a  general  battle ;  else  Price  would  be  in  Fort  Scott  that 
night. 

CHABGE  OF  COLONELS  PHILLIPS  AND  BENTEEN 

Just  then  two  of  Pleasonton's  brigades,  commanded 
by  Colonels  Phillips  and  Benteen,  were  coming  up  the 
hill,  or  rather  a  gentle  ascending  slope,  with  Phillips  in 
advance  to  the  right  of  the  road  and  Benteen  in  his  left 
rear  on  the  opposite  side.  After  consulting  a  few  min- 
utes while  these  brigades  were  advancing,  Hiner  and  I 
rode  down,  and,  meeting  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
nearest  brigade  (who  I  afterwards  learned  was  Colonel 
Phillips  of  Pleasonton's  division),  I  explained  to  him 
the  position  of  the  enemy,  and  suggested  that  he  form 
his  brigade  and  move  forward  in  position  for  a  charge. 
I  told  him  that  I  would  see  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  other  advancing  brigade  and  ask  him  to  do  likewise. 

While  Colonel  Phillips  was  forming  his  brigade  and 
moving  forward  to  the  summit  of  the  elevated  plateau, 


160  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

directly  in  front  of  Marmaduke's  left  and  centre,  I 
rode  over  and  explained  to  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  other  advancing  brigade  —  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ben- 
teen  —  the  situation  of  the  enemy 's  lines,  and  asked  him 
to  form  for  a  charge  on  the  left  of  Phillips 's  brigade, 
then  in  line  under  a  raking  fire  from  the  Rebel  artillery. 

In  forming  his  line  Colonel  Benteen  made  a  mistake 
by  throwing  his  brigade  left-front  into  line  and  leaving 
a  gap  between  his  right  and  Phillips 's  left  —  plainly 
visible  to  Marmaduke.  Benteen  should  have  thrown 
his  rear  regiment  right-front  into  line  and  filled  up  the 
gap.  •  His  line  as  formed  extended  far  beyond  Marma- 
duke's  right  flank,  while  Phillips 's  right  did  not  reach 
quite  as  far  as  Marmaduke 's  left. 

The  lines  of  Phillips  and  Benteen,  when  formed, 
faced  almost  due  south,  while  Marmaduke's  first  line 
conformed  to  a  bend  in  the  creek,  which  on  his  right 
rear  extended  north  several  hundred  yards  from  a  due 
east-and-west  line.  That,  of  course,  brought  Benteen 's 
line  proportionately  nearer  to  Marmaduke 's  right  than 
was  Phillips 's  right  to  Marmaduke's  left.  Besides,  it 
brought  Marmaduke's  right  almost  opposite  Benteen 's 
centre  and  that  was  why  one  of  his  regiments  had  to 
move  from  left  to  right  of  his  brigade  after  the  charge 
had  been  sounded. 

By  reason  of  Marmaduke's  lines  extending  in  a 
northeasterly  direction  from  left  to  right,  Phillips 's 
brigade  had  to  ride  in  the  charge  some  two  hundred 
yards  farther  than  Benteen 's  before  the  crash  came; 
and  again,  Phillips 's  brigade,  while  in  line  waiting  for 
Benteen  to  form,  was  under  a  galling  fire  from  the  en- 
emy's artillery,  which  was  kept  up  from  the  moment  he 
ordered  or  sounded  the  charge  until  his  line  was  within 
fifty  paces  of  Marmaduke's  first  line. 

Both  brigades  advanced  to  the  charge  about  the 
same  instant,  but  Benteen  having  less  distance  to  ride, 
struck  and  staggered  Marmaduke 's  extreme  right  while 
Phillips  was  yet  advancing ;  but  within  two  minutes  the 


PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE  161 

additional  distance  was  covered  and  the  clash  of  sleel 
rang  aloud  all  along  the  line.  In  good  time  Major  Hop- 
kins with  his  battalion  dashed  in  and  closed  the  gap  be- 
tween the  two  brigades.  For  twenty  minutes,  officers 
and  men,  Feds  and  Confeds,  were  all  mixed  in  a  life 
and  death  struggle.  The  roar  of  musketry,  the  rattle 
of  rifles  and  pistols,  the  clash  of  sabres,  and  the  shrieks 
of  the  wounded,  created  a  scene  that  was  perfectly 
awful. 

Steadily  the  gallant  Union  soldiers  cut  their  way 
through  the  red  glare  and  over  a  wall  of  guns  and  bat- 
teries of  artillery,  until  the  shouts  of  victory  were  heard 
over  and  above  the  din  of  battle.  Slowly  the  enemy's 
lines  melted  away,  and  one  by  one  their  Generals,  Col- 
onels, and  battalions  laid  down  their  arms  and  passed 
to  the  rear  as  prisoners  of  war.  My  sword  was  not  laid 
down,  but  in  the  thick  of  the  fight  it  was  shivered  in 
pieces  on  a  gun  that  protected  the  head  of  a  fighting 
Rebel. 

Within  thirty  minutes  after  his  lines  were  broken, 
Marmaduke  and  the  flower  of  his  division  were  prison- 
ers, and  the  remainder  of  his  troops  were  fleeing  as 
though  they  expected  the  devil  to  take  the  hindmost. 
They  threw  away  their  guns  and  fell  over  each  other 
while  crossing  Mine  Creek.  General  Fagan,  seeing 
Marmaduke 's  disaster,  halted  and  formed  his  division 
in  line  of  battle  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  cover  the 
retreat  of  those  who  might  escape. 

Phillips  and  Benteen,  with  their  men  whose  horses 
were  serviceable,  and  Major  Hopkins,  with  a  light  bat- 
talion of  the  Second  Kansas,  and  Captain  Green,  with 
two  companies  of  the  Second  Colorado,  followed  the  re- 
treating Eebels  across  the  creek  and  captured  prisoners 
within  range  of  Fagan 's  line. 

When  the  broad  prairie  between  the  creek  and 
Fagan 's  line  was  cleared  of  fleeing  Rebels,  we  began 
forming  a  line  south  of  the  creek  and  in  Fagan 's 
immediate  front  for  a  second  charge.  I  threw 


162  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

Major  Hopkins  and  Captain  Green  with  their  battal- 
ions on  the  right.  Phillips 's  men  that  had  crossed  the 
creek  were  rapidly  forming  in  the  centre,  and  Benteen  's 
men  who  had  crossed  lower  down  were  coming  into  line 
on  the  left. 

We  already  had  in  our  new  line  about  one  thousand 
men,  and  were  waiting  for  two  or  three  companies  of 
Benteen 's  brigade  that  were  coming  at  a  gallop.  A  sec- 
ond charge  would  have  been  made  in  less  than  ten  min- 
utes, had  it  not  been  for  an  order  from  General  Pleas- 
onton  to  remain  where  we  were  until  further  orders 
were  received.  On  receipt  of  this  order,  I  naturally 
supposed  that  he  was  coming  to  the  front  with  the 
remainder  of  his  division  to  take  advantage  of  the  de- 
moralized condition  of  the  enemy  produced  by  the  first 
charge. 

Marmaduke's  division,  for  fighting  purposes,  had 
been  utterly  destroyed  and  all  the  officers  and  soldiers 
at  the  front  knew  that  fact.  That  the  demoralization 
would  extend  to  Fagan's  division,  we  had  good  reason 
to  believe ;  and  on  that  account  we  were  preparing  for 
a  second  charge.  After  the  order  to  halt  was  received, 
the  remainder  of  Benteen 's  men  who  were  south  of  the 
creek  came  up  and  completed  the  formation  of  the  new 
line. 

Then  and  there,  we  had  about  twelve  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  burning  with  zeal  and  flushed  with  victory, 
facing  about  an  equal  number  of  Price's  demoralized 
troops  on  the  open  prairie ;  and  yet  we  were  not  allowed 
to  move.  For  twenty  minutes  the  men  sat  erect  in  their 
saddles  waiting  impatiently  for  the  order  to  advance. 
While  thus  waiting,  the  enemy  in  our  front  broke  from 
line  into  column  and  left  the  field  in  haste.  Our  line 
was  then  broken  up,  and  the  officers  and  men  rejoined 
their  respective  commands. 

While  Phillips  and  Benteen  were  exterminating 
Marmaduke  's  division  by  a  most  gallant  and  desperate 
cavalry  charge,  and  while  their  men,  reinforced  by  the 


PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE  163 

Kansas  and  Colorado  battalions,  were  in  line  awaiting 
the  order  for  a  second  charge,  the  three  major-generals 
in  command  of  the  army  and  the  divisions  remained  at 
the  rear  with  most  of  their  troops  and  artillery,  seem- 
ingly indifferent  about  what  was  going  on  at  the  front. 
One  entire  division  —  except  two  light  battalions, 
and  two  brigades  of  the  other  division,  all  commanded 
by  generals  —  was  held  back  in  the  rear  while  two 
young  colonels  with  their  brigades  forged  their  way 
to  the  front  and  destroyed  Marmaduke's  division.  Had 
these  two  colonels  with  their  light  brigades  been  sup- 
ported by  the  generals  and  their  troops,  as  they  should 
have  been,  Price  and  his  army  would  have  been  elimin- 
ated from  the  Confederate  equation  before  the  sun  went 
down  on  that  memorable  day. 

GENERAL  PKICE's  KEPOBT 

I  was  in  the  immediate  front  from  daylight  in  the 
morning  until  eleven  o  'clock  at  night,  and  I  know  who 
did  the  work  and  deserves  the  credit.  To  prove  that 
the  Rebel  army  under  General  Price  was  shattered  into 
fragments  and  utterly  demoralized  by  the  charge  which 
resulted  in  the  capture  of  General  Marmaduke,  his  ar- 
tillery, brigade  commanders,  and  the  flower  of  his  divi- 
sion, I  quote  an  extract  from  Price's  official  report  as 
follows : 

WASHINGTON,  ARK.,  December  28,  1864. 
GENERAL  : 

.  .  .  On  reaching  Little  Osage  River  I  sent  forward 
a  direction  to  Brigadier-General  Shelby  to  fall  back  to  my 
position  in  rear  of  Jackman's  brigade  for  the  purpose  of 
attacking  and  capturing  Fort  Scott,  where  I  learned  there 
were  1,000  negroes  under  arms.  At  the  moment  of  his 
reaching  me  I  received  a  despatch  from  Major-General  Mar- 
maduke, in  the  rear,  informing  me  that  the  enemy,  3,000 
strong,  were  in  sight  of  his  rear,  with  lines  still  extending, 
and  on  the  note  Major-General  Fagan  had  indorsed  that  he 
would  sustain  Major-General  Marmaduke.  I  immediately 
ordered  Brigadier-General  Shelby  to  take  his  old  brigade, 


164  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

which  was  on  my  immediate  right,  and  return  to  the  rear  as 
rapidly  as  possible  to  support  Major-Generals  Fagan  and 
Marmaduke.  I  immediately  mounted  my  horse  and  rode 
back  at  a  gallop,  and  after  passing  the  rear  of  the  train  I  met 
the  divisions  of  Major-Generals  Fagan  and  Marmaduke 
retreating  in  utter  and  indescribable  confusion,  many  of  them 
having  thrown  away  their  arms.  They  were  deaf  to  all 
entreaties  or  commands,  and  in  vain  were  all  efforts  to  rally 
them.  From  them  I  received  the  information  that  Major- 
General  Marmaduke,  Brigadier-General  Cabell,  and  Colonel 
Slemons,  commanding  brigades,  had  been  captured,  with  300 
or  400  of  their  men  and  all  their  artillery  (5  pieces)  .  .  . 

STERLING  PRICE, 
Major-General,  Commanding.* 
BRIG.  GEN.  W.  R.  BOGGS, 

Chief  of  Staff,  Shreveport,  La. 

This  shows  what  might  have  been  done  if  the  Mine 
Creek  charge  had  been  followed  by  a  second  charge, 
which  we  were  ready  to  make  when  the  fatal  order  to 
halt  was  received. 

For  two  hours  I  remained  with  the  battalions  of 
Major  Hopkins  and  Captain  Green,  where  we  halted 
until  General  McNeil  came  up  with  his  brigade  and  re- 
quested me  to  go  to  the  front  with  him.  He,  like  Phil- 
lips and  Benteen,  was  full  of  fight  and  fire.  He  inspired 
his  men  to  deeds  of  daring  by  the  example  of  his  own 
heroic  valor.  The  Kansas  battalion,  a  part  of  which 
had  formerly  been  his  body-guard,  was  ordered  to  the 
front  as  the  advance  guard.  On  approaching  the  brakes 
of  the  Little  Osage,  about  six  miles  south  of  Mine  Creek, 
McNeil  struck  General  Shelby's  brigades,  which  had 
been  called  back  from  the  front  to  save  the  wreckage  of 
Price 's  army,  remaining  after  the  onslaught  of  Phillips 
and  Benteen  in  the  morning. 

BATTLE  OF   THE  LITTLE  OSAGE,  OCTOBER   25,   1864 

Shelby,  by  all  odds,  was  the  skilful  general  of 
Price 's  army,  and  his  division  was  the  last  of  the  bold 

*Eebellion  Kecords,  Vol  XLI,  Part  I,  pp.  636-637. 


PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE  165 

raiders  who  flaunted  the  flag  of  defiance  as  they  rode 
into  Missouri;  who  routed  General  Ewing  at  Pilot 
Knob,  baffled  Bosecrans  at  St.  Louis,  drove  the  Feder- 
als into  their  entrenchments  at  Jefferson  City,  and 
frightened  Curtis  at  Kansas  City.  Mannaduke  was  the 
next ;  and  Fagan,  as  a  general,  was  passable. 

At  the  Little  Osage  Shelby,  with  his  war-scarred  vet- 
erans, was  brought  to  the  rear  as  a  forlorn  hope.  He 
formed  on  the  undulating  ground  a  mile  north  of  the 
Osage  in  the  edge  of  the  timber,  and  awaited  the  com- 
ing of  McNeil 's  brigade.  He  had  not  long  to  wait.  With 
a  whirl  McNeil 's  brigade  went  into  line  and  then  stead- 
ily moved  forward  until  the  lines  locked  in  the  embrace 
of  victory  or  death. 

After  a  most  terrific  struggle  Shelby 's  line  began  to 
waver,  when  one  of  McNeil's  regiments  in  my  imme- 
diate front  made  a  sudden  dash,  instantly  followed  by 
the  other  regiments  with  their  commander  roaring  like 
a  lion.  For  a  few  minutes  the  men  of  the  two  contend- 
ing forces  wielded  their  weapons  without  fear,  favor, 
or  affection.  Step  by  step  Shelby's  men  yielded,  and 
finally  fled  in  confusion  to  the  river  with  the  Federals 
close  on  their  heels. 

After  crossing  the  river,  Shelby  rallied  a  part  of  his 
men  and  tried  to  make  a  stand ;  but  it  was  brief.  Again, 
one  mile  south  of  the  river,  Shelby  rallied  all  his  forces 
with  a  part  of  Fagan 's  division,  and  prepared  for  an- 
other desperate  struggle.  His  position  here  was  well 
chosen  and  his  line  difficult  of  approach.  At  places  the 
sides  of  the  hill  were  steep,  rugged,  and  covered  with 
underbrush ;  but  slowly  McNeil 's  men  worked  their  way 
to  the  top,  and  then  for  about  forty  minutes  blows  were 
given  and  blows  received. 

It  was  a  square  stand-up-and-knock-down  fight.  But 
finally,  Shelby's  men,  as  they  had  done  at  the  engage- 
ment north  of  the  river,  reeled  and  staggered  to  the 
rear,  leaving  their  wounded  and  two  pieces  of  artillery 
on  the  field.  This  loss,  with  the  six  guns  captured  at 


166  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

Mine  Creek,  rendered  Price  helpless  in  so  far  as  his 
artillery  was  concerned. 

From  this  last  engagement  south  of  the  river, 
Shelby  fell  back  to  the  junction  of  the  Fort  Scott  and 
Marmiton  roads,  followed  closely  by  General  McNeil. 
On  reaching  this  point  late  in  the  afternoon,  Price  with 
his  train  and  a  host  of  unarmed  soldiers  and  recruits, 
had  taken  the  left  hand  or  Marmiton  Road  leading  back 
into  Missouri,  and  halted  about  a  mile  from  the  junc- 
tion, on  the  open  prairie.  Shelby  formed  the  fragment 
of  his  division  at  the  junction  of  the  roads,  and  was  dis- 
lodged and  driven  back  on  Price's  rear  by  McNeil's 
brigade  in  less  than  thirty  minutes. 

GENERAL,  SHELBY 's  REPORT 

Everything  indicated  that  the  enemy  was  out  of 
ammunition,  and  his  last  stand  was  purely  a  game  of 
bluff.  In  his  pathetic  report  of  these  engagements,  on 
that  memorable  day,  General  Shelby  shows  the  desper- 
ate condition  of  Price's  army  at  the  close  of  the  last 
onset.  He  says : 

HEADQUARTERS  SHELBY'S  DIVISION,  December  — ,  1864. 
COLONEL  : 

.  .  .  Day  and  night  the  retreat  was  continued  until 
the  evening  of  the  25th,  when  my  division,  marching  leisurely 
in  front  of  the  train,  was  ordered  hastily  to  the  rear  to  pro- 
tect it,  while  flying  rumors  came  up  constantly  that  Marma- 
duke  and  Cabell  were  captured,  with  all  their  artillery. 
Leaving  Colonel  Jackman  with  his  brigade  to  watch  well  my 
left  flank  and  guard  the  train,  I  hastened  forward  with 
Thompson's  brigade  and  Slayback's  regiment  to  the  scene  of 
action.  I  soon  met  beyond  the  Osage  River  the  advancing 
Federals,  flushed  with  success  and  clamorous  for  more  vic- 
tims. I  knew  from  the  beginning  that  I  could  do  nothing 
but  resist  their  advance,  delay  them  as  much  as  possible,  and 
depend  on  energy  and  night  for  the  rest. 

The  first  stand  was  made  one  mile  north  of  the  Osage 
River,  where  the  enemy  was  worsted;  again  upon  the  river- 
hank,  and  again  I  got  away  in  good  condition.  Then  taking 


PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE  167 

position  on  a  high  hill  one  mile  south  of  the  river,  I  halted 
for  a  desperate  struggle.  The  enemy  advanced  in  over- 
whelming numbers  and  with  renewed  confidence  at  the  sight 
of  the  small  force  in  front  of  them ;  for  Captains  Langhorne 
and  Adams  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Nichols  with  their  com- 
mands were  ahead  of  the  train  on  duty.  The  fight  lasted 
nearly  an  hour,  but  I  was  at  last  forced  to  fall  back. 

Pressed  furiously,  and  having  to  cross  a  deep  and  treach- 
erous stream,  I  did  not  offer  battle  again  until  gaining  a  large 
hill  in  front  of  the  entire  army,  formed  in  line  of  battle, 
where  I  sent  orders  to  Colonel  Jackman  to  join  me  imme- 
diately. It  was  a  fearful  hour.  The  long  and  weary  days 
of  marching  and  fighting  were  culminating,  and  the  narrow 
issue  of  life  or  death  stood  out  all  dark  and  barren  as  a  rainy 
sea.  The  fight  was  to  be  made  now,  and  General  Price,  with 
the  pilot's  wary  eye,  saw  the  storm-cloud  sweep  down, 
growing  larger  and  larger  and  darker  and  darker.  They 
came  upon  me  steadily  and  calm.  I  waited  until  they  came 
close  enough  and  gave  them  volley  for  volley,  shot  for  shot. 
For  fifteen  minutes  both  lines  stood  the  pelting  of  the  leaden 
hail  without  flinching,  and  the  incessant  roar  of  musketry 
rang  out  wildly  and  shrill,  all  separate  sounds  blending  in  a 
universal  crash.  The  fate  of  the  army  hung  upon  the  result, 
and  our  very  existence  tottered  and  tossed  in  the  smoke  of 
the  strife.  The  red  sun  looked  down  upon  the  scene,  and  the 
redder  clouds  floated  away  with  angry  sullen  glare.  Slowly, 
slowly  my  old  brigade  was  melting  away.  .  .  . 

Jos.  0.  SHELBY, 

Brigadier-General,  Commanding  Division.* 
LIEUT.  COL.  L.  A.  MACLEAN, 

Assistant  Adjutant-General,  Army  of  Missouri. 

As  Shelby  says,  it  was  for  them  "  a  fearful  hour." 
The  fate  of  their  army,  as  he  verily  believed,  hung  upon 
the  result.  But  nobody  was  "  tossed  in  the  smoke  "  of 
battle,  and  nobody  on  our  side,  in  so  far  as  I  ever  heard, 
was  either  killed,  wounded,  or  turned  up  missing.  It 
was  simply  a  lively  skirmish.  Shelby  had  an  irregular 
line  formed  out  on  the  prairie;  and  General  McNeil 
moved  his  brigade  forward  at  a  steady  walk  and  fired 

"Rebellion  Records,  Vol.  XLI,  Part  I,  pp.  659-660. 


168  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

two  or  three  volleys.  Shelby's  men  fired  a  scattering 
volley,  and  like  the  "red  clouds,  floated  away  with  an- 
gry sullen  glare. ' ' 

Then  McNeil  dismounted  his  brigade.  I  rode  back 
about  a  mile  and,  meeting  General  Curtis,  told  him  that 
it  was  all  over ;  and  in  my  opinion  General  Price  was 
waiting  to  surrender.  I  further  told  him  that  two 
brigades  of  Pleasonton's  troops  had  smashed  the  divi- 
sions of  Marmaduke  and  Fagan  to  pieces  and  captured 
their  artillery  in  the  morning,  and  that  General  Mc- 
Neil had  just  completed  the  destruction  of  Shelby's 
division,  leaving  Price  helpless  and  stranded  over  there 
on  the  prairie. 

Price 's  army  was  then  halted  in  full  view  on  the  left- 
hand  road  leading  to  Missouri.  General  Pleasonton 
had  just  passed  with  his  division,  except  McNeil's 
brigade,  and  taken  the  road  to  Fort  Scott ;  and  General 
Blunt,  with  his  division,  which  had  not  fired  a  shot  dur- 
ing the  day,  was  then  passing  around  McNeil  on  the 
same  road.  Curtis  immediately  sent  staff  officers  for- 
ward to  each  of  these  Generals,  ordering  them  to  halt 
and  form  on  McNeil's  brigade,  which  was  within  half 
a  mile  of  Price 's  helpless  troops.  But  neither  of  them 
paid  the  slightest  attention  to  Curtis 's  order. 

General  Curtis,  finding  himself  impotent  and  help- 
less, directed  General  McNeil  to  remain  at  the  junction 
of  the  roads  during  the  night ;  and  when  Blunt 's  divi- 
sion had  passed,  he  dropped  in  the  rear  and  rode  away 
to  Fort  Scott,  leaving  McNeil  with  a  light  brigade 
within  close  striking  distance  of  Price's  army. 

Seeing  Curtis 's  army  move  off  on  the  road  toward 
Fort  Scott,  Price  gathered  up  his  fragments  and  limped 
off  over  the  divide  to  the  Marmiton  River  and  went 
into  camp.  McNeil  camped  on  the  ground  where  the 
last  skirmish  had  taken  place,  and  I  remained  with  him 
until  11  P.  M.,  when  I  took  a  light  escort  and  rode  into 
Fort  Scott. 


PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE  169 

PEICE  DEMORALIZED 

That  was  the  end  of  the  Price  Eaid,  in  so  far  as 
fighting  was  concerned.  It  was  the  end  of  Price 's  army 
as  a  factor  in  the  Confederacy.  Like  the  serpent  of  old, 
with  its  fangs  drawn  and  spine  dislocated,  it  dragged 
its  weary  body  over  the  divide  and  down  to  the  sluggish 
waters  of  the  Marmiton  River,  where  it  writhed  in 
agony  until  2  A.  M.  During  the  night  General  Price 
issued  an  order  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  MISSOURI, 

CAMP  No.  52,  October  25,  1864. 
GENERAL  ORDERS, 
No.  22 

I.  The  army  will  march  to-morrow  at  2  A.  M.  in  the 
following    order:     First,    Major-General    Fagan's    division; 
second,  army  and  ordnance  train ;  third,  Major- General  Mar- 
maduke's  division;  fourth,  Brigadier-General  Shelby's  divi- 
sion.   Major-General  Fagan  will  detach  a  brigade  to  march 
on  the  right  flank  of  the  train.    Colonel  Tyler's  brigade  will 
march  on  the  right  flank  of  the  train  in  rear  of  the  brigade 
of  Major-General  Fagan's  division. 

II.  The  army  train,  with  the  following  exceptions,  will 
be    parked    under   directions   of    division    commanders   and 
burnt  before  leaving  camp :     First,  one-half  the  army  head- 
quarters wagons;  second,  there  is  allowed  to  each  division 
headquarters  one  wagon,  with  ambulance   for  commanding 
officer;  third,  one  wagon  for  brigade  headquarters;  fourth, 
one  wagon  for  each  brigade;  fifth,  one  medical  wagon  for 
each    division;    sixth,    all    the    ordnance    wagons   absolutely 
required;  seventh,  all  the  ambulances  and  carriages  (except 
buggies,  which  are  to  be  burnt)  will  be  turned  over  to  the 
division  quartermaster  for  the  use  of  the  division  surgeon,  to 
be  used  only  for  conveying  the  sick  and  wounded;  eighth, 
all  the  serviceable  stock  to  be  retained  by  the  division  and 
brigade  quartermasters  for  use  as  may  be  required;  ninth, 
no  enlisted  man  under  any  circumstances  to  have  a  led  horse. 
No  white  man  between  the  ages  of  seventeen  and  fifty  to  be 
used  by  officers  for  this  or  any  other  purpose  beyond  his 
military  duty. 

III.  Private  families  travelling  with  the  army  will  be 


170  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

allowed  such  spring  vehicles  only  as  are  absolutely  requisite 
for  their  transportation. 

IV.     The  inspector-general  and  chief  quartermaster  will 
examine  the  train  on  the  march  and  assist  in  carrying  out 
this  order. 
By  command  of  MAJ.  GEN.  S.  PRICE: 

L.  A.  MACLEAN,* 
Lieutenant- Colonel  and  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

Price  was  now  out  of  Kansas  and  back  in  his  own 
State,  which  his  mob  of  bushwhackers,  recruits,  de- 
serters, and  camp-followers  had,  with  his  knowledge, 
plundered  from  one  end  to  the  other.  To  these  red- 
handed  assassins  and  renegades  were  largely  due  the 
disasters  that  befell  the  divisions  of  Marmaduke, 
Fagan,  and  Shelby.  Such  cattle  must  necessarily  have 
embarrassed  the  fighting  troops  at  every  turn  in  the 
road.  From  this  dismal  camp  on  the  Marmiton,  the 
remnant  of  Price's  shattered  forces,  after  destroying 
their  baggage  and  burning  their  wagons,  started  early 
and  travelled  late.  On  the  retreat  they  were  burdened 
only  with  wounds,  bruises,  and  sad  recollections. 

At  the  same  time  the  buccaneers,  bushwhackers,  de- 
serters, and  camp-followers,  who  had  been  gathered  in 
and  harbored  by  General  Price  —  to  his  everlasting 
discredit  —  moved  off  in  other  directions  in  search  of 
innocent  and  defenceless  victims  whom  they  could  rob 
and  murder  in  their  zeal  to  help  to  establish  the  South- 
ern Confederacy. 

General  Price,  with  his  real  soldiers,  passed  on  down 
by  way  of  Carthage,  Neosho,  Pineville,  and  Maysville 
to  Cane  Hill,  where  he  stopped  a  few  days  to  take  stock 
and  count  noses.  By  this  time  his  regular  troops,  offi- 
cers, and  men  were  thoroughly  demoralized  and  clam- 
oring for  furloughs  and  leaves  of  absence.  As  shown 
by  the  subsequent  reports  of  his  officers  and  the  evi- 
dence submitted  to  a  Court  of  Inquiry  and  published  in 
the  Kebellion  Eecords,  Price  and  his  army  while  on 

*Eebellion  Eecords,  Vol.  XLI,  Part  IV,  pp.  1013-1014. 


PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE  171 

their  raid  in  and  through  Missouri,  degenerated  into  a 
lawless  mob  with  no  discipline  whatever. 

From  Cane  Hill  they  scattered  to  the  four  winds, 
and  Price's  army  became  a  thing  of  the  past,  "  gone 
but  not  forgotten."  His  troops,  like  the  Macedonians 
on  their  return  from  India,  wanted  to  go  home;  and, 
unlike  the  Macedonians,  they  went.  Two  of  his  gen- 
erals, with  skeleton  commands,  stuck  to  the  hull  until 
it  reached  the  south  bank  of  the  Arkansas,  when  Fagan 
marched  east,  Shelby  west,  and  Marmaduke  stayed 
back  as  our  guest. 

General  Price,  like  Napoleon  from  Moscow,  faced 
the  November  storms  and  jogged  along  southward, 
wrapped  in  thoughts  of  the  wreckage  occasioned  by  his 
indiscretion.  He  may  have  been  an  honest  man  and  a 
good  citizen,  but  he  was  not  a  skilful  general.  He  had 
no  conception  of  the  formation  of  a  line  of  battle,  nor 
did  he  know  how  to  handle  troops  in  action.  If  he  had 
a  division  composed  of  three  or  four  brigades,  instead 
of  throwing  his  whole  force  into  line  and  crushing  his 
opponent,  he  would  send  in  his  brigades  one  at  a  time 
and  see  them  slaughtered  in  detail ;  and  the  same  with 
his  divisions  —  just  as  he  did  at  Mine  Creek,  the  Little 
Osage,  and  Jenkins 's  Ferry.  I  saw  his  troops  in  action 
at  Wilson's  Creek,  Jenkins's  Ferry,  Westport,  Mine 
Creek,  and  the  Little  Osage,  and  in  none  of  these  en- 
gagements did  he  have  more  than  one-third  of  his  force 
in  action  at  one  time. 

But  he  was  not  the  only  general  of  the  Civil  War 
who  lacked  many  of  the  essential  elements  of  general- 
ship. There  were  others.  Many  major-generals  in 
both  the  Union  and  Confederate  armies,  appointed 
through  political  influence,  were  absolutely  incapable 
of  handling  troops  or  even  of  taking  care  of  themselves 
on  the  field  of  battle.  Nor  did  this  apply  exclusively 
to  major-generals.  There  were  still  others,  and  all 
such  should  have  resigned  or  been  dismissed  the  serv- 
ice when  their  incompetency  was  clearly  established. 


172  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

But  fortunately  the  political  drones,  artful  dodgers, 
and  abject  cowards  were  not  all  on  one  side. 

General  Price  finally  reached  his  old  stamping 
ground  in  Southwest  Arkansas  with  a  handful  of  his 
hungry,  bedrabbled  followers,  and  immediately  entered 
upon  a  defensive  campaign  involving  his  reputation 
as  an  officer  and  a  gentleman.  To  settle  all  disputes, 
charges,  and  counter-charges  among  Confederate  of- 
ficers, growing  out  of  the  raid  through  Missouri,  a 
Court  of  Inquiry  was  established,  the  proceedings  of 
which  may  be  found  in  the  Rebellion  Records. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  October  25,  when  the  fight- 
ing was  all  over,  and  General  Price's  army  stood 
helpless  out  on  the  prairie  within  speaking  distance, 
half -clad  and  without  ammunition,  artillery,  food,  or 
forage,  Generals  Curtis,  Blunt,  and  Pleasonton  came  up 
and  without  halting  moved  past  on  the  road  to  Fort 
Scott,  leaving  General  McNeil  and  his  brigade  without 
support,  if  Price  and  his  troops  had  been  in  condition 
to  fight. 

Instead  of  moving  around  McNeil  on  the  west,  en 
route  to  Fort  Scott,  they  should  have  moved  around 
Price  on  the  east  and  halted  long  enough  for  him  to 
surrender.  That  would  have  saved  the  Generals  a  deal 
of  trouble  and  their  tired  troops  and  jaded  horses  un- 
told hardships. 

THE  PURSUIT 

On  the  morning  of  October  26,  Generals  Curtis, 
Blunt,  and  Pleasonton  held  a  powwow  in  Fort  Scott  to 
consider  the  question  of  further  pursuit.  Generals 
Grant,  Halleck,  and  Rosecrans  were  exceedingly  anx- 
ious to  have  Price  and  his  army  captured.  But  the 
three  major-generals  conducting  the  pursuit  were  an 
inharmonious  set.  No  one  would  respect  the  orders 
or  wishes  of  the  other,  and  Rosecrans  was  eighty  miles 
away,  powerless  to  bring  order  out  of  chaos. 

Curtis 's  incompetency  was  plainly  visible  to  Blunt 


PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE  173 

and  Pleasonton ;  Blunt 's  rebellious  —  if  not  mutinous 
-  conduct  from  the  Marais  des  Cygnes  to  Fort  Scott 
was  observed  by  Pleasonton  and  understood  by  Curtis ; 
and  Pleasonton 's  deliberate  disobedience  of  Curtis 's 
orders,  in  leaving  the  field  and  moving  into  Fort  Scott, 
was  apparent  to  all.  It  was  a  muddle  disgraceful  and 
detrimental  to  the  service.  Whatever  their  grievances, 
one  with  another,  they  were  all  to  blame;  and  they, 
each  and  all,  in  due  time  received  their  punishment. 

That  Blunt  and  Pleasonton  each  had  a  justifiable 
grievance,  no  one  familiar  with  the  facts  will  dispute ; 
but  that  was  not  the  time  nor  the  place  to  settle  such 
matters.  Instead  of  leaving  the  field  at  the  close  of 
day,  when  the  enemy  was  within  easy  reach,  Blunt  and 
Pleasonton  should  have  thrown  their  divisions  in  line 
and  settled  with  Price  first,  and  with  Curtis  afterwards. 

Had  McNeil,  Phillips,  or  Benteen,  whose  brigades 
had  done  substantially  all  the  fighting  that  day,  been 
there  alone  with  their  troops,  Price  and  his  army  would 
have  been  prisoners  of  war  before  the  sun  went  down. 
But  that  was  not  to  be.  "  To  Fort  Scott  or  bust  "  was 
emblazoned  on  the  escutcheons  of  the  major-generals 
—  and  to  Fort  Scott  they  went. 

Thus  three  times  in  three  days  Price  had  been  in  a 
trap,  and  each  time  he  was  allowed  to  escape.  At  In- 
dependence, Curtis  left  the  door  open ;  and  he  walked 
out.  At  Mine  Creek,  Blunt  refused  to  come  to  the 
front;  and  Pleasonton  prevented  a  second  charge.  If 
Blunt  had  come,  or  Pleasonton  kept  still,  Price  and  his 
army  would  have  been  ours  before  the  halt  was 
sounded. 

At  the  forks  of  the  road  where  the  last  fighting  oc- 
curred, the  major-generals  were  again  at  fault  for  leav- 
ing the  field  before  the  work  was  finished.  All  day  long 
they  lingered  in  the  rear,  and  knew  not  the  helpless 
condition  of  Price  and  his  troops.  Invariably  they 
reached  the  fighting  ground  after  the  advance  had  done 
its  work  and  passed  on.  In  that  brilliant  charge  of 


174  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

Phillips  and  Benteen  at  Mine  Creek,  when  they  swept 
everything  before  them  on  the  north  side  and  dashed 
across  and  were  rounding  up  the  prisoners,  General 
Pleasonton  reached  the  summit  of  the  plateau  from 
which  the  charge  was  made  and  opened  fire  on  his  own 
men  who  had  crossed  the  creek. 

It  was  subsequently  asserted  that  only  four  shots 
were  fired.  That  is  a  mistake.  Sergeant  Hiner  and  I 
were  among  the  first  to  cross  the  creek  in  pursuit  of  the 
fleeing  Rebels,  and  while  we  and  many  others  were 
gathering  up  prisoners  within  range  of  Fagan's  line, 
which  had  formed  to  cover  Marmaduke's  retreat,  the 
artillery  opened  fire  from  the  rear  and  drove  all  our 
men  on  the  extreme  left  back  to  shelter. 

As  proof  of  this  I  quote  from  the  report  of  one  of 
the  officers  as  follows: 

HEADQUARTERS   FOURTH   IOWA   CAVALRY, 

DIAMOND   GROVE,   October  27,  1864. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  CURTIS: 

.  .  .  We  advanced  so  far  into  the  enemy's  ranks  that 
Major-General  Pleasonton  ordered  our  own  battery  to  shell 
us,  thinking  we  were  the  retreating  enemy,  and  my  men  were 
obliged  to  scatter  to  avoid  being  cut  to  pieces  by  our  own 
shells.  I  should  have  called  to  see  you,  General,  had  not  I 
received  a  severe  wound  in  my  foot  which  prevents  my  riding 
my  horse. 

A.  R.  PIERCE, 
Major,  Commanding  Fourth  Iowa  Veteran  Cavalry.* 

Again,  Colonel  Cloud  of  the  Second  Kansas  Cav- 
alry, being  at  the  front  when  the  artillery  opened,  rode 
back  to  the  rear  where  the  battery  was  planted,  and  told 
General  Pleasonton,  who  was  near  the  guns,  that  he 
was  firing  on  his  own  men.  Pleasonton,  who  had  just 
reached  the  field,  snubbed  Cloud  and  continued  firing 
until  an  officer  rode  back  from  beyond  the  creek  where 
the  men  were  pursuing  and  capturing  the  retreating 
Rebels  and  told  him  that  he  was  killing  his  own  men. 

*Bebellion  Records,  Vol.  XLI,  Part  IV,  p.   290. 


PRICE'S  RETREAT   AND  ESCAPE  175 

He  then  gave  the  order  to  cease  firing,  after  he  had 
driven  the  Fourth  Iowa  Cavalry  from  that  part  of  the 
field. 

Had  Pleasonton  or  any  one  of  the  major-generals 
been  at  the  front,  where  they  belonged,  this  and  many 
other  inexcusable  blunders  would  not  have  occurred. 
Their  conduct  during  the  entire  day  was  the  reverse  of 
what  it  should  have  been ;  and  the  same  is  true  of  Cur- 
tis and  Pleasonton  after  they  reached  Fort  Scott.  They 
wrangled  like  children  all  the  next  forenoon  over  the 
highly  important  question,  whether  the  prisoners  and 
captured  artillery  should  go  to  Leavenworth  or  St. 
Louis.  Next  they  differed  on  the  question  of  pursuing 
Price.  Then  Pleasonton  contended  that  he  and  his 
troops  were  not  subject  to  the  orders  of  General  Cur- 
tis; and  so  the  wrangle  became  worse  and  worse  en- 
tangled, until  Pleasonton  submitted  the  questions  of 
dispute  to  General  Bosecrans,  who  replied  as  follows : 

HEADQUARTERS  CAVALRY  DIVISION, 

FORT   SCOTT,   October  27,  1864. 
MAJOR-GENERAL  CURTIS, 

Commanding  Department  of  Kansas: 
GENERAL:  Major-General  Rosecrans  has  just  telegraphed 
me  instructions  from  Warrensburg  to  send  Generals  San- 
born 's  and  McNeil's  brigades  to  their  respective  districts 'at 
Springfield  and  Holla,  and  to  conduct  the  remaining  brigades 
with  the  captured  prisoners  and  property  of  their  commands 
to  Warrensburg.  I  shall  therefore  start  to-morrow  morning 
to  execute  these  orders. 

I  remain,  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient 
servant, 

A.  PLEASONTON, 
Major-General  Commanding.* 

On  receipt  of  this  despatch  General  Curtis  got  busy 
and  sent  a  despatch  to  General  Halleck,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  copy: 

"Rebellion  Records,  Vol.  XLI,  Part  IV,  p.  287. 


176  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OP  THE  BORDER, 

NEWTONIA,  Mo.,  October  29,  1864 — 5  A.  M. 
MAJ.  GEN.  H.  W.  HALLECK,  Chief -of -Staff : 

After  our  victory  last  night  I  started  the  troops  at  3  this 
morning  in  farther  pursuit  of  Price,  General  McNeil  in 
advance,  when  orders  from  General  Eosecrans,  through 
Pleasonton,  were  received,  taking  McNeil  to  Rolla  and  San- 
born  to  Springfield,  and  otherwise  disposing  of  all  other 
troops,  including  my  prisoners,  who  remained  in  the  rear. 
I  am  left  with  only  the  fragments  of  my  own  regular  volun- 
teers, not  exceeding  1,000  fit  for  duty;  and  deeming  it 
improper  to  continue  a  pursuit  in  another  department,  sus- 
pended by  its  proper  commander,  I  shall  return  by  slow 
marches  to  my  own  department  command. 

S.  R.  CURTIS, 
Major-General.* 

Halleck  informed  General  Grant  of  what  his  gen- 
erals were  doing  and  not  doing  in  Missouri.  Grant 
was  a  true  soldier,  and  had  no  use  for  fuss  and  feath- 
ers ;  nor  patience  with  envy  and  jealousy.  By  a  single 
despatch  he  caused  five  major-generals,  who  had  been 
following  Price  around  over  Missouri  for  thirty  days, 
to  stand  up  and  take  notice. 

HIS  ESCAPE 

Price,  with  his  bedragled  fragments  of  an  army,  had 
slipped  the  halter  and  was  gone,  but  they  were  ordered 
to  follow  him  to  the  Arkansas  Eiver.  Blunt,  with  a 
light  brigade  of  cavalry,  was  already  in  pursuit.  Gen- 
eral Curtis  followed,  and  reached  Carthage  on  the 
twenty-eighth,  where  he  was  joined  by  Generals  San- 
born  and  McNeil  with  their  brigades,  who  had  pre- 
viously been  ordered  by  Rosecrans  to  Springfield  and 
Rolla.  General  Rosecrans,  with  A.  J.  Smith's  com- 
mand, was  at  Warrensburg,  a  hundred  miles  away. 
Pleasonton  was  in  Fort  Scott;  and  Phillips  and  Ben- 
teen,  with  their  exhausted  brigades,  were  struggling 

*Rebellion  Eecords,  Vol.  XLI,  Part  IV,  p.  318. 


PRICE'S  RETREAT  AND  ESCAPE  177 

along  on  Price's  trail  in  obedience  to  orders  issued  by 
generals ;  not  with  the  expectation  of  overtaking  Price, 
but  manifestly  for  the  purpose  of  hiding  their  own 
moccasin  tracks.  At  Newtonia  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
twenty-eighth,  Blunt  and  Sanborn  had  a  skirmish  with 
Shelby 's  cavalry ;  and  that  was  the  last  of  the  fighting, 
in  so  far  as  the  pursuit  of  Price  was  concerned. 

General  Curtis  remained  in  Newtonia  until  the  thir- 
tieth, when  he  moved  west  six  miles  to  Neosho  and  de- 
spatched General  Rosecrans  as  follows : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  BORDER, 
IN  THE  FIELD,  NEOSHO,  Oct.  30, 1864  —  1  A.M. 
GENERAL  ROSECRANS  : 

An  order  just  received  from  Lieutenant-General  Grant, 
directing  the  pursuit  of  Price  to  be  continued  to  the  Arkansas 
River,  seems  to  conflict  with  your  order  directing  the  troops 
of  General  Pleasonton  to  their  several  districts.  I  have  there- 
fore ordered  your  troops  to  resume  the  pursuit,  supposing  it 
will  meet  with  your  approbation,  as  there  are  no  other  troops 
sufficient  to  carry  out  the  purpose  of  the  lieutenant-general 
commanding.  Since  my  militia  has  left  me,  your  portion  of 
the  command  has  been  much  the  greatest,  and  I  have 
expected  your  arrival  to  assume  the  responsibilities  of  the 
movement  against  Price. 

S.  R.  CURTIS, 
Major-General.* 

On  the  same  day  General  Curtis  despatched  General 
A.  J.  Smith  as  follows : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OP  THE  BORDER, 

NEOSHO,  Mo.,  Oct.  30, 1864  —  1  A.M. 
GENERAL  A.  J.  SMITH: 

Your  despatch  of  the  27th  instant  is  just  received.  After 
fighting  Price  at  Newtonia  last  night  he  retreated  toward 
Cassville.  An  order  from  General  Rosecrans  withdrew  his 
troops,  and  I,  not  being  strong  enough  without  them,  came 
thus  far  on  my  return.  Orders  just  received  from  Lieu- 
tenant-General Grant  induce  me  to  resume  the  pursuit.  I 
shall  need  infantry  very  much,  but  do  not  see  how  you  will 

*Eebellion  Records,  Vol.  XLI,  Part  IV,  pp.  331-2. 


178  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

be  able  to  overtake  me  except  by  conveying  your  men  in 
wagons  and  travelling  night  and  day. 

S.  R.  CURTIS, 
Major-General.* 

Following  this  despatch  General  Curtis  issued  or- 
ders to  the  brigade  commanders  of  Pleasonton's  divis- 
ion, of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  BORDER, 
IN  THE  FIELD,  NEOSHO,  Mo.,  October  30, 1864  —  1  A.M. 
BRIG.  GEN.  JOHN  MCNEIL, 

Commanding  Brigade  in  the  Field: 
Despatches  just  received  from  Lieutenant-General  Grant 
require  me  to  continue  the  pursuit  of  Price  to  the  Arkansas 
River.  You  will,  therefore,  proceed  forthwith  to  Cassville, 
reporting  to  me  with  your  command  at  that  place.  If  you 
find  Price's  trail  leaves  the  road,  halt  and  inform  me  as  soon 
as  possible. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

S.  R.  CURTIS, 
Major-General,  Commanding.* 

The  orders  to  Sanborn,  Phillips,  and  Benteen  were 
substantially  the  same  as  that  to  McNeil.  When  these 
orders  were  issued,  Price,  with  what  remained  of  his 
army,  was  at  Maysville,  fifty  miles  west  of  Cassville, 
the  place  of  rendezvous. 

While  Curtis  was  at  Cassville,  Price  moved  to  Cane 
Hill  and  sent  Fagan  with  a  bunch  of  his  worn-out  troops 
over  to  Fayetteville  for  supplies.  A  detachment  of  the 
First  Arkansas  Cavalry,  being  on  duty  there,  stood 
Fagan  off  and  notified  General  Curtis,  who  had  moved 
forward  to  the  battlefield  of  Pea  Eidge.  On  hearing 
bf  Fagan 's  proximity  to  Fayetteville  General  Curtis 
moved  in  that  direction;  and  when  Curtis  moved, 
Fagan  ran  back  to  Cane  Hill,  and  then  General  Price 
gathered  up  his  luggage  and  pushed  on  to  the  Arkansas 
Kiver. 

'Rebellion  Records,  Vol.  XLI,  Part  IV,  p.   332. 


PRICE'S  RETREAT   AND  ESCAPE  179 

In  due  time  Curtis  reached  Fayetteville,  and  from 
there,  by  easy  going,  finally  arrived  at  the  Arkansas 
Eiver  on  November  8,  1864,  eleven  days  out  from  Fort 
Scott.  On  arriving  at  the  north  bank  of  that  long- 
sought  river,  General  Curtis  was  informed  that  Price 
with  the  remnant  of  his  raiders,  all  clad  in  their  pa- 
jamas, had  crossed  the  previous  day  and  scattered 
"  like  chaff  before  the  wind." 

The  old  fox  having  made  good  his  escape,  General 
Curtis  levelled  his  guns  in  the  direction  where  he  was 
last  seen,  and  fired  a  national  salute  as  a  tribute  to  the 
masterly  skill  displayed  by  the  commanding  generals 
in  rescuing  the  States  of  Missouri  and  Kansas  from 
their  perilous  condition.  He  also  fired  a  few  spherical 
case-shot  across  the  river  at  the  trail  Price  left  behind, 
is  a  warning  to  evil-doers. 

THE  LAST  DITCH 

Thus  ended  the  most  reckless,  ill-advised,  disastrous 
raid  from  either  army  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. 
General  Price  marched  into  Missouri  with  a  mob  of 
nine  thousand  undisciplined,  unmanageable  thieves, 
robbers,  and  murderers.  Many  of  his  officers,  but  com- 
paratively few  of  his  followers,  were  brave,  gallant 
soldiers ;  but  his  so-called  army,  as  a  whole,  was  a  dis- 
grace to  civilization. 

On  the  twenty-eighth  of  August,  1864,  General  Price 
and  staff  started  from  Camden,  Arkansas ;  August  30, 
he  marched  north  with  the  divisions  of  Generals  Fagan 
and  Marmaduke,  five  thousand  strong;  September  6, 
he  crossed  the  Arkansas  River  at  Dardanelle,  almost 
under  the  guns  of  Major-General  Fred.  Steele  of  the 
Federal  Army ;  September  16,  he  reached  Pocahontas, 
and  was  there  joined  by  General  Shelby,  who  had  pre- 
ceded him  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  up  deserters, 
stragglers,  and  renegades  who  had  been  hiding  out  in 
the  hills  of  Southern  Missouri  and  Northern  Arkansas. 

On  the  twenty- seventh  of  September  he  reached 


180  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

Pilot  Knob  and  attacked  General  Ewing 's  small  com- 
mand with  artillery  at  a  distance.  After  shelling  Fort 
Davidson  all  day,  he  withdrew  to  a  place  of  safety  for 
the  night.  With  Shelby's  division  added  and  the  de- 
serters and  conscripts  brought  in  by  him,  Price  then 
had  nine  thousand  men  with  him,  while  Ewing  had 
about  fifteen  hundred.  During  the  night  Ewing  retired 
taking  with  him  such  ordinance  and  stores  as  he  could 
transport,  and  destroying  the  remainder. 

If  Price  had  an  army  of  nine  thousand  trained  sol- 
diers, or  half  that  number,  why  did  he  not  attack 
Ewing  in  Pilot  Knob  or  on  the  road  to  Eolla,  with  small 
arms?  Not  once  did  he  come  within  range  of  Colonel 
Fletcher's  infantry  regiment.  That,  of  itself  was  suf- 
ficient to  show  General  Eosecrans  that  Price  was  not 
in  Missouri  on  a  military  expedition. 

From  Pilot  Knob  General  Price  wound  his  way 
around  over  the  hills,  by  way  of  Franklin  to  Jefferson 
City,  without  risking  a  battle  anywhere,  except  when 
he  met  unarmed  citizens  or  could  find  an  isolated  com- 
pany of  State  troops  off  their  guard.  Then  his  savage 
barbarians  immediately  became  lions,  ravenous  for 
blood. 

On  arriving  at  Jefferson  City  he  mounted  his  white 
horse,  Bucephalus,  and  made  a  display  that  was  terrific 
to  behold.  Not  knowing  the  man,  General  Grant  would 
have  been  staggered  by  it,  or  Napoleon  would  have 
been  driven  across  the  Alps.  All  day  on  October  the 
seventh,  he  raved  and  frothed,  formed  and  reformed, 
and  marched  and  countermarched,  but  never  once  did 
he  or  any  of  his  cavaliers  venture  within  range  of  the 
frowning  Federal  guns,  backed  as  they  were  by  a  line 
of  true  blue,  eager  for  the  fray.  But  he  did  not  ad- 
vance. He  was  there  to  be  seen,  not  heard.  The  range 
of  the  field-glass  was  preferable  to  the  range  of  musk- 
etry, and  he  was  content  to  let  well-enough  alone. 

Like  Renatus  of  Anjou,  his  line  of  battle  was  in  the 
form  of  a  crescent,  with  Marmaduke  on  the  right,  Fagan 


PRICE'S  RETREAT   AND  ESCAPE  181 

in  the  centre,  and  Shelby  on  the  left.  He  foamed  and 
looked  fierce  as  he  dashed  to  and  fro  on  old  Bucephalus, 
exciting  his  war-scarred  veterans  to  deeds  of  daring. 
They  had  not  assailed  a  chicken  roost,  robbed  a  smoke- 
house, or  murdered  an  unarmed  citizen  since  the  pre- 
vious night,  and  they  were  fairly  chafing  for  a  chance 
to  show  their  skill  as  savage  warriors. 

Often  while  in  line  during  the  day  their  swords 
would  leap  from  their  scabbards  and  whirl  through  the 
air,  cutting  the  pigeon  wing,  to  scare  the  Federals,  who 
were  chafing  for  an  opportunity  to  be  "  up  and  at 
'em."  Thus  the  bluffers  bluffed  throughout  the  day, 
and  when  the  dark  mantle  of  night  was  spread,  they 
sheathed  their  swords  and  stole  silently  away. 

This  was  further  proof  positive  to  General  Rose- 
crans  that  Price  did  not  mean  to  fight.  From  Jefferson 
City  he  moved  on,  ravaging  the  country  as  he  went  by 
way  of  Boonville  and  Lexington  to  Kansas  City,  where 
the  whole  gang  should  have  been  arrested  and  sent  to 
the  dry  Tortugas.  And  yet,  when  we  take  into  con- 
sideration the  terrible  ordeal  through  which  General 
Price  and  his  followers  passed  on  their  retreat  from 
Kansas  City  back  to  the  canebrakes  of  Arkansas,  it  is 
a  question  whether  it  were  not  best  for  us  to  let  them 
flounder  along,  in  haste,  over  bad  roads,  with  scant  sup- 
plies, to  the  last  Confederate  ditch,  which  to  them  was 
already  in  full  view. 

The  Price  Eaid  was  a  stupendous  blunder  from  the 
beginning.  It  tarnished  the  record  of  General  Price, 
both  as  a  man  and  a  soldier,  and  wiped  his  army  out  of 
existence.  It  demoralized  most  of  his  officers  and  sol- 
diers, and  rendered  them  unfit  for  future  citizenship. 
It  led  to  the  destruction  of  vast  quantities  of  property 
and  the  loss  of  many  valuable  lives  after  the  downfall 
of  the  Confederacy  was  a  certainty. 

When  General  Price,  with  a  remnant  of  his  raiders, 
returned  to  Camden,  broken,  discouraged,  and  dishon- 
ored, he  was  assailed  by  his  superior  and  subordinate 


182  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

officers,  and  driven  to  the  necessity  of  demanding  a 
Court  of  Inquiry  to  place  responsibility  where  it  be- 
longed, and  save  his  reputation  as  an  officer  and  a  gen- 
tleman. This  Court  listened  to  a  vast  amount  of  testi- 
mony from  Confederate  officers  and  soldiers,  and  then 
lay  down  and  died  with  the  Confederacy. 

With  the  crushing  of  this  noted  raid  through  Mis- 
souri and  Kansas,  my  services  as  a  soldier  in  the  Civil 
War  ceased,  and  I  returned  to  the  peaceful  pursuits 
of  life.  After  this  there  were  no  battles  of  importance 
west  of  the  Mississippi.  The  Confederate  Army,  in 
what  the  enemy  called  the  Trans-Mississippi  Depart- 
ment, was  hopelessly  stranded  in  the  last  ditch.  Their 
men  were  deserting  and  going  home  in  squads;  and 
their  officers  were  looking  one  at  another  and  saying, 
"  I  told  you  so." 

East  of  the  Mississippi  the  war  was  still  raging  with 
great  fury.  Steadily  the  Union  armies  were  closing 
in  on  the  enemy  and  driving  him  slowly  back  —  back 
to  the  last  ditch.  Grant  had  Lee  bottled  up  in  Peters- 
burg and  Eichmond ;  Thomas  was  rounding  up  the  frag- 
ments of  Hood's  army  in  Tennessee;  Sherman  was 
sweeping  the  field  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea ;  and  Sheri- 
dan was  settling  the  dispute  with  Jubal  Early  over  in 
the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

Everywhere  things  were  coming  our  way.  The  so- 
called  Confederacy  was  on  its  last  legs  —  tottering  to 
the  fall.  The  arch-conspirators  who  had  caused  all 
the  trouble  were  floundering  in  the  depths  of  dark  de- 
spair, while  their  misguided  army  officers,  who  had 
often  led  their  gallant  soldiers  to  the  muzzle  of  our 
guns,  stood  silent  in  the  shadow  of  the  lost  cause,  await- 
ing orders  to  take  down  the  flag  of  treason. 

At  the  helm  of  the  Government  at  Washington,  with 
his  strong  right  hand  grasping  the  wheel,  and  his  great 
heart  beating  in  unison  with  the  step  of  his  soldiers, 
stood  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  true,  loyal,  courageous 
pilot  who  had  guided  our  ship  through  the  storm  to  a 
harbor  of  safety. 


PART  SECOND 


PART  SECOND 


CHAPTER 

ELECTION  OF  1864 

DEMOCRATIC  NATIONAL  CONVENTION  —  GEO.  B.  M'CLELLAN 
NOMINATED  FOB  PBESEDENT. 

THE  Presidential  election  in  the  Fall  of  1864  was  of 
vital  importance  to  the  cause  of  the  Union.  The 
War  of  the  Rebellion  was  still  raging,  and  conspirators 
at  home  and  abroad  were  active  in  their  efforts  to  de- 
stroy the  Government  of  the  United  States.  The  home 
traitors  wanted  a  President  who  would  stop  the  war 
and  allow  them  to  establish  a  separate  Government 
based  upon  the  institution  of  slavery.  The  foreign  con- 
spirators wanted  to  see  the  Union  dissolved,  and  our 
Republican  form  of  Government  broken  into  frag- 
ments, which  sooner  or  later  would  become  involved  in 
war  among  themselves  and  eventually  become  an  easy 
prey  to  the  avarice  and  greed  of  the  despotic  powers  of 
Europe. 

Especially  was  this  true  of  Louis  Napoleon,  the 
usurper  and  coward  on  the  throne  of  France,  who  was 
at  that  time  imploring  the  authorities  of  Great  Britain 
to  join  him  in  recognizing  the  independence  of  the  so- 
called  Confederate  Government.  Also  many  of  the 
English  officials,  including  members  of  Parliament  and 
others  high  in  authority,  were  clamoring  for  the  same. 
But  Queen  Victoria,  the  queen  of  queens,  said  "  No," 
and  that  left  the  Rebel  cause  in  the  hands  of  home  tal- 

186 


186  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

ent,  with  Napoleon's  troops  stranded  on  the  plains  of 
Mexico. 

Then,  when  all  hopes  of  foreign  intervention  had 
vanished,  and  their  armies  were  rapidly  approaching 
the  last  ditch,  the  Confederate  authorities,  in  the  ago- 
nies of  despair,  undertook  to  save  themselves  and  the 
wreckage  of  their  folly  by  the  aid  of  political  bush- 
whackers in  the  loyal  States.  All  their  guns  —  rifle 
and  smooth-bore,  flint-lock  and  muzzle-loading,  good, 
bad,  and  indifferent  —  were  turned  on  Mr.  Lincoln. 
Emissaries  were  sent  by  Jefferson  Davis  from  Rich- 
mond  into  Canada  to  help  to  organize  and  discipline  his 
allies  in  the  extreme  Northern  States;  and  Rebel  am- 
bassadors, by  the  score,  were  sent  from  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, and  Missouri  into  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Iowa  to 
help  to  organize  and  discipline  the  Anti-war  Demo- 
crats, Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  Sons  of  Liberty, 
Copperheads,  Bounty- jumpers,  and  other  similar  char- 
acters in  those  States.  In  fact,  everything  was  done  by 
the  Rebel  authorities  that  could  be  done  to  unite  their 
dupes  and  sympathizers  under  the  banner  of  Democ- 
racy, with  the  view  of  electing  a  President  who  would 
take  down  the  American  flag,  call  home  the  Federal 
troops,  dissolve  the  Union,  and  let  the  slave-holding 
States  go  their  way  in  peace.  That  was  exactly  the  ob- 
ject and  purpose  of  Jefferson  Davis  and  his  Northern 
allies. 

DEMOCKATIC  NATIONAL  CONVENTION 

The  whole  scheme  was  clearly  revealed  by  the 
Democratic  National  Convention,  which  assembled  at 
Chicago  on  the  twenty-ninth  of  August,  1864.  Hora- 
lio  Seymour  of  New  York,  a  notorious  Rebel  sym- 
pathizer, was  made  President  of  the  Convention.  On 
assuming  the  chair  he  made  an  extreme  anti-war 
speech,  which  was  cheered  to  the  echo.  C.  L.  Vallan- 
digham  of  Ohio,  who  had  previously  been  banished 
for  treasonable  utterances,  and  then  sent  back  by 


ELECTION    OF    1864  187 

Jefferson  Davis  through  Canada  to  attend  the  Conven- 
tion, was  there,  and  a  leading  spirit  on  the  committee 
of  resolutions.  The  resolutions  reported  by  Vallandig- 
ham,  as  the  Democratic  platform  for  that  year  and 
adopted  by  the  Convention,  were  saturated  with  trea- 
son, and  would  have  been  ratified  by  every  soldier  in 
the  Eebel  army.  Section  II  reads  as  follows : 

Resolved,  That  this  Convention  does  explicitly  declare,  as 
the  sense  of  the  American  people,  that,  after  four  years  of 
failure  to  restore  the  Union  by  the  experiment  of  war,  during 
which,  under  the  pretence  of  a  military  necessity  of  a  war 
power  higher  than  the  Constitution,  the  Constitution  itself 
has  been  disregarded  in  every  part,  and  public  liberty  and 
private  right  alike  trodden  down,  and  the  material  prosperity 
of  the  country  essentially  impaired,  justice,  humanity,  liberty, 
and  the  public  welfare  demand  that  immediate  efforts  be 
made  for  a  cessation  of  hostilities,  with  a  view  to  an  ultimate 
Convention  of  all  the  States,  or  other  peaceable  means,  to  the 
end  that,  at  the  earliest  practicable  moment,  peace  may  be 
restored  on  the  basis  of  the  Federal  Union  of  the  States. 

This  man  Vallandigham,  who  reported  the  plat- 
form from  which  the  above  is  an  extract,  had  previously 
been  tried  by  a  military  tribunal,  convicted  as  a  public 
enemy,  and  sent  through  the  Federal  lines  as  a  crim- 
inal. The  next  heard  of  him,  he  was  in  Richmond  tell- 
ing the  Confederates  what  to  do  and  how  to  do  it.  In 
an  interview  with  commissioners,  appointed  by  Davis 
to  confer  with  the  authorities  at  Washington  on  terms 
of  peace,  he  said :  "  If  you  can  only  hold  out  this  year 
[1864]  the  peace  party  of  the  North  will  sweep  the 
Lincoln  dynasty  out  of  political  existence." 

Having  urged  the  Rebels  to  hold  out  for  another 
year,  and  having  otherwise  given  such  aid  and  comfort 
to  the  enemy  as  lay  within  his  power,  he  is  next  heard 
of  in  Canada  with  Clement  C.  Clay,  James  P.  Holcombe, 
George  N.  Souders,  and  other  Confederate  agents,  or- 
ganizing raids  and  plotting  schemes  of  invasion,  rob- 
bery, and  murder  along  our  northern  frontier  settle- 


188  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

ments.  And  lastly,  having  made  the  rounds  and  done 
all  he  could  against  the  Government  and  people  of  the 
United  States,  he  sneaks  back  through  the  lines  and 
bobs  up  in  the  Chicago  Convention  with  a  platform  de- 
claring the  war  a  failure,  and  demanding  that  the  Union 
Army  be  called  home  and  disbanded. 

Then  with  the  "  Lincoln  dynasty  swept  out  of  po- 
litical existence, ' '  and  the  Eebel  Government  and  army 
still  "  holding  out,"  there  would  have  been  nothing 
more  for  Jefferson  Davis  and  his  army  to  do,  except 
march  over  to  Washington  and  distribute  the  spoils  of 
war.  In  view  of  what  the  Confederate  authorities  said 
to  Vallandigham  while  in  Eichmond,  and  the  ultimatum 
of  President  Davis,  as  expressed  to  Colonel  James  F. 
Jaques  of  the  Seventy-third  Illinois  and  J.  R.  Gilmore 
of  New  York,  who  visited  him  by  permission  of  Mr. 
Lincoln,  the  audacity  of  Vallandigham  and  his  commit- 
tee on  resolutions  was  refreshing  in  the  extreme.  Nev- 
ertheless the  committee  was  cheered  to  the  echo,  and 
the  resolutions  were  adopted  without  a  dissenting  vote. 

When  those  resolutions  were  reported  and  adopted 
as  the  platform  of  the  Democratic  party,  every  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  and  every  intelligent  delegate  in 
the  Convention  knew  that  nothing  short  of  a  dissolu- 
tion of  the  Union  and  the  independence  of  the  Confed- 
eracy would  be  considered  by  Jefferson  Davis  for  a 
moment.  Seymour,  the  President  of  the  Convention, 
understood  it;  Vallandigham,  who  had  talked  with 
Davis  and  others  at  Eichmond,  understood  it ;  Colonel 
Marmaduke  of  Missouri,  Colonel  Grenf  ell  of  John  Mor- 
gan's  staff,  and  other  Confederate  officers  who  were 
delegates  in  the  Convention,  understood  it.  In  fact  all, 
except  the  chumps,  knew  exactly  what  the  resolutions 
meant  and  the  object  and  purpose  at  which  they  aimed. 

The  empty  words  at  the  foot  of  the  resolution 
quoted, —  namely :  * '  to  the  end  that  at  the  earliest  prac- 
ticable moment,  peace  may  be  restored  on  the  basis  of 
the  Federal  Union  of  the  States, "  —  in  the  face  of  the 


ELECTION    OF    1864  189 

remainder  of  the  resolution,  and  the  known  ultimatum 
of  President  Davis,  were  meaningless,  except  as  a  de- 
coy for  ignorant  but  loyal  Democratic  voters.  If  a 
single  doubt  ever  existed  in  the  mind  of  an  intelligent 
person  of  the  North  or  of  the  South,  as  to  the  purpose 
and  determination  of  Jefferson  Davis,  that  doubt  was 
removed  by  his  ultimatum,  delivered  to  Colonel  Jaques 
of  Illinois  and  Mr.  Gilmore  of  New  York  in  June,  1864. 

At  the  close  of  a  protracted  conference,  President 
Davis  said : 

The  North  was  mad  and  blind;  it  would  not  let  us  gov- 
ern ourselves ;  and  so  the  War  came ;  and  now  it  must  go  on 
till  the  last  man  of  this  generation  falls  in  his  tracks,  and  his 
children  seize  his  musket  and  fight  our  battle,  unless  you 
acknowledge  our  right  to  self-government.  "We  are  not  fight- 
ing for  slavery.  "We  are  fighting  for  Independence;  that  or 
extermination  we  will  have. 

Again,  at  parting,  Mr.  Davis  said  to  them : 
Say  to  Mr.  Lincoln,  from  me,  that  I  shall  at  any  time 
be  pleased  to  receive  proposals  for  peace  on  the  basis  of  our 
independence.     It  will  be  useless  to  approach  me  with  any 
other. 

Thus  it  was  settled  and  proclaimed  to  the  world 
that  the  war  must  go  on  until  the  Confederacy  was  rec- 
ognized as  an  independent  Government,  or  the  people 
of  the  South  were  exterminated.  And  yet  Seymour, 
Vallandigham,  and  their  fellow-conspirators  at  Chi- 
cago were  resolving  that  the  Federal  Army  was  the 
only  obstacle  in  the  way  of  peace  and  the  restoration 
of  Federal  Union  of  all  the  States. 

Such  absurdity  would  not  have  been  attempted  in  a 
convention  composed  of  intelligent,  loyal  citizens.  Nor 
would  the  treasonable  utterances  of  many  of  the  dele- 
gates in  that  convention  have  been  tolerated  by  any- 
body but  traitors.  Some  of  them  soared  aloft  and 
hurled  all  sorts  of  things  at  the  Union  Army  and  the 
Lincoln  dynasty.  The  dirtier  and  more  vulgar  they  be- 
came, the  louder  they  were  cheered. 


190  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

One  pure-minded,  polished  delegate  (the  Rev.  Henry 
Clay  Dean,  of  Iowa),  smarting  under  the  wounds  that 
had  been  inflicted  upon  him  by  the  "  usurper,  traitor, 
and  tyrant  "  (Lincoln),  sallied  forth  with  spikes  in  his 
belt  and  poison  on  his  lips,  and  proceeded  to  declare  his 
sentiments  thus: 

For  over  three  years,  Lincoln  had  been  calling  for  men, 
and  they  had  been  given.  But,  with  all  the  vast  armies 
placed  at  his  command,  he  had  failed !  failed !  failed !  failed ! 
Such  failure  had  never  been  known.  Such  destruction  of  hu- 
man life  had  never  been  seen  since  the  destruction  of  Sen- 
nacherib by  the  breath  of  the  Almighty.  And  still  the  mon- 
ster usurper  wanted  more  men  for  his  slaughter  pens.  .  .  . 
Ever  since  the  usurper,  traitor,  and  tyrant  had  occupied  the 
Presidential  chair,  the  Republican  party  had  shouted  "  War 
to  the  knife,  and  the  knife  to  the  hilt !  "  Blood  had  flowed  in 
torrents;  and  yet  the  thirst  of  the  old  monster  was  not 
quenched.  His  cry  was  for  more  blood. 

Not  to  be  overshadowed  by  this  patriot  from  the 
scrub-oaks  of  Iowa,  in  his  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the 
Union,  the  Hon.  C.  Chauncy  Burr,  of  New  Jersey, 
stepped  to  the  front  and  proceeded  to  shake  the  raft- 
ers with  his  eloquence,  clothed  in  polished  language 
and  well-rounded  periods.  Chauncy  was  an  all-round 
master  of  men  and  was  ready  at  all  times  to  lead  where 
duty  called.  He  had  read  the  "  Art  of  War  in  Eu- 
rope," guided  the  elephants  at  Arbela,  snuffed  the  bat- 
tle of  Marathon,  and  covered  the  retreat  from  Moscow ; 
and  now  he  was  ready  to  storm  the  gates  of  Camp 
Douglas  and  send  home  eight  thousand  Confederate 
gentlemen  who  had  been  ruthlessly  torn  from  their  be- 
loved homes  in  the  South  by  Lincoln 's  army,  and  were 
then  held  at  Camp  Douglas  as  prisoners  of  war.  In 
the  course  of  his  fierce  onslaught,  this  orator  further 
said: 

We  had  no  right  to  burn  their  wheat-fields,  steal  their 
pianos,  spoons,  or  jewelry.  Mr.  Lincoln  had  stolen  a  good 
many  thousand  negroes;  but  for  every  negro  he  had  thus 


ELECTION    OF    1864  191 

stolen,  he  had  stolen  ten  thousand  spoons.  It  had  been  said 
that,  if  the  South  would  lay  down  their  arms,  they  would 
be  received  back  into  the  Union.  The  South  could  not  hon- 
orably lay  down  her  arms,  for  she  was  fighting  for  her  honor. 
Two  millions  of  men  had  been  sent  down  to  the  slaughter- 
pens  of  the  South,  and  the  army  of  Lincoln  could  not  again 
be  filled,  neither  by  enlistments  nor  conscription.  If  he  ever 
uttered  a  prayer,  it  was  that  no  one  of  the  States  of  the 
Union  should  be  conquered  and  subjugated. 

This  astounding  information  concerning  the  theft 
of  pianos,  spoons,  and  negroes,  by  "  Mr.  Lincoln  and 
his  boodlers,"  set  the  rang  and  file  of  the  Convention 
on  fire.  The  delegates  shrieked  for  vengeance,  and 
were  clamorous  to  be  led  against  Camp  Douglas  — 
"  the  Black  Hole  of  Calcutta,"  as  they  called  it.  Sey- 
mour, their  presiding  officer,  tried  to  call  the  rabble  to 
order,  but  it  would  not  be  called.  The  braves  wanted 
their  war-bonnets  and  a  leader;  and  then  good-bye  to 
the  "  Lincoln  dynasty,"  good-bye  to  the  butchers  in 
the  slaughter-pens  of  the  South,  good-bye  to  the  tyrant 
Lincoln,  good-bye  to  Federal  prisons ! 

They  were  going  to  hit  the  war-path,  suppress  the 
tyrant  Lincoln,  knock  his  army  out,  and  turn  things 
over  to  Jefferson  Davis  without  waiting  for  the  Presi- 
dential election.  The  more  they  were  called  to  order, 
the  louder  they  roared,  until  finally  Colonel  Grenfell 
(of  the  staff  of  John  Morgan,  the  Rebel  raider),  and 
Colonel  Marmaduke  (brother  of  the  Rebel  General 
whom  we  captured  at  Mine  Creek)  stepped  to  the  front 
and  ordered  them  to  be  quiet.  The  disturbing  elements 
having  been  assuaged  and  order  restored.  Judge  Mil- 
ler, a  meek  and  mild-mannered  patriot  from  Ohio,  pro- 
ceeded to  tell  the  Convention  all  about  the  peculiarities 
and  characteristics  of  War  Democrats. 

It  so  happened  that  a  great  many  of  the  brave  boys 
in  blue,  who  were  then  at  the  front  battering  down  the 
walls  of  treason,  had  originally  been  Jeff  ersonian  Dem- 
ocrats in  the  state  of  Ohio.  Generals  Grant,  Sherman, 


192  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

Sheridan,  Buell,  Stedman,  the  two  Mitchels,  and  many 
other  gallant  Union  officers  of  Democratic  proclivities, 
were  sons  of  that  glorious  State. 

But  who  and  what  were  these  men  in  comparison  to 
the  valiant  Vallandigham  of  Ohio,  the  noble  Dean  of 
Iowa,  and  gallant  ex-Eev.  C.  Chauncy  Burr  of  the  great 
commonwealth  of  New  Jersey.  Echo  might  have  an- 
swered, but  for  that  renowned  jurist,  philosopher,  and 
statesman,  Judge  Miller  of  Ohio,  who  forged  his  way 
to  the  front  and  in  stentorian  tones  said : '  *  There  is  no 
real  difference  between  a  War  Democrat  and  an  Aboli- 
tionist. They  are  links  of  one  sausage,  made  out  of  the 
same  dog." 

Thus  the  delegates  being  enlightened  on  all  im- 
portant matters,  the  Convention  was  prepared  to  nom- 
inate a  candidate  for  the  Presidency  who  would  sweep 
the  country  like  a  prairie  fire.  Then  the  great  question 
was,  Who  would  be  the  most  available  man  ?  The  Con- 
federate Army  officers  and  Rebel  delegates  from  Vir- 
ginia, Kentucky,  and  Missouri  wanted  General  Lee. 
Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Iowa  wanted  Jefferson  Davis; 
and  Ohio,  Delaware,  New  York,  and  New  Jersey 
wanted  a  Northern  man  with  secession  proclivities  —  a 
Rebel  sympathizer  who  would  stand  pat  on  the  plat- 
form just  adopted. 

GEO.  B.  M'CLELLAN  NOMINATED  FOB  PRESIDENT 

After  skirmishing,  beating  the  brush,  and  scouring 
the  woods  all  round  in  search  of  a  candidate  who  could 
deceive  the  greater  number  of  voters,  someone  discov- 
ered George  B.  McClellan,  in  Barcus  Alley,  nursing  his 
wounds  and  vowing  eternal  vengeance  against  the  ' '  ty- 
rannical dynasty  "  at  Washington,  and  in  a  loud  voice 
exclaimed  "  Eureka!  "  The  name  of  George  B.  Mc- 
Clellan was  not  entirely  satisfactory  to  Vallandigham 
and  the  ultra "  let-'em-go-in-peace  "delegates,  because 
be  had  at  one  time  worn  the  Federal  uniform  as  an 
officer  ID  the  Armv.  But  when  reminded  that  he  was 


ELECTION   OP    1864  193 

not  an  officer  to  hurt,  but  merely  a  grand  stand  per- 
former, heavy  on  dress  parade  and  hasty  on  the  retreat, 
all  objections  were  removed,  and  he  was  unanimously 
nominated  amid  cheers  and  Rebel  yells. 

After  another  lively  skirmish,  George  H.  Pendle- 
ton,  of  Ohio,  who  had  opposed  the  war  at  every  step 
taken  by  Mr.  Lincoln  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union, 
was  nominated  for  Vice-President. 

McClellan  had  led  the  Potomac  Army  —  at  that 
time  the  finest  and  best  equipped  army  the  world  had 
even  seen  —  to  the  walls  of  Richmond,  and  finding  the 
gates  wide  open,  turned  around  without  a  battle  and 
beat  a  hasty  retreat  to  a  place  of  safety,  without  the 
loss  of  a  man.  Such  skill  was  seldom  equalled  and 
never  surpassed  in  modern  or  ancient  warfare,  and 
yet  it  did  not  please  the  authorities  at  Washington, 
who  at  the  proper  time  gave  the  distinguished  General 
indefinite  leave  of  absence.  Hence  he  was  discovered 
by  the  Chicago  Convention  as  the  man  of  all  men  to 
lead  where  traitors  could  follow. 


CHAPTEE  XIV 

NATIONAL   UNION    CONVENTION    OF    1864 

PRESIDENT    LINCOLN     NOMINATED    FOR    RE-ELECTION RE- 
SULT  OF   THE   ELECTION THE   CONFEDERACY   DOOMED. 

THE  National  Union  Convention,  composed  of  Re- 
publicans and  War  Democrats,  assembled  at  Bal- 
timore on  Tuesday,  June  7,  and  organized,  electing  the 
Eev.  Robert  J.  Breckinridge,  of  Kentucky,  as  tempor- 
ary chairman,  and  Ex-Governor  Dennison,  of  Ohio,  as 
permanent  President.  This  Convention  was  made  up 
of  men  loyal  and  true  to  the  Government  of  the  United 
States,  and  the  cause  of  humanity.  Henry  J.  Raymond, 
of  New  York,  was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  resolu- 
tions, and  reported  a  platform  from  which  the  follow- 
ing is  an  extract : 

Resolved,  That  we  approve  the  determination  of  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  not  to  compromise  with  Rebels, 
nor  to  offer  them  any  terms  of  peace  except  such  as  may  be 
based  upon  an  unconditional  surrender  of  their  hostility  and 
a  return  to  their  just  allegiance  to  the  Constitution  and  the 
laws  of  the  United  States;  and  that  we  call  upon  the  Gov- 
ernment to  maintain  this  position,  and  to  prosecute  the  war 
with  the  utmost  possible  vigor  to  the  complete  suppression 
of  the  Rebellion,  in  full  reliance  upon  the  self-sacrificing 
patriotism,  the  heroic  valor,  and  the  undying  devotion  of  the 
American  people  to  their  country  and  its  free  institutions. 

PRESIDENT    LINCOLN    NOMINATED    FOR    RE-ELECTION 

To  find  a  man  for  the  Presidency,  who  could  stand 
with  both  feet  on  this  platform,  required  no  search  war- 

194 


NATIONAL    UNION    CONVENTION  195 

rant.  All  eyes  were  turned  on  the  pilot  of  pilots,  the 
captain  of  the  home-coming  ship  that  had  sailed  the 
bloody  seas,  and  was  rounding  into  port  with  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  flying  from  the  top-mast.  Our  army  and 
navy,  in  good  form,  were  still  there,  while  the  Confed- 
eracy was  tottering  on  the  verge  of  despair.  The  peo- 
ple had  said  to  their  delegates  at  Baltimore,  "  Don't 
stop  to  swap  horses  in  the  middle  of  the  stream. ' '  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  unanimously  nominated  for  reelection; 
and  Andrew  Johnson,  of  Tennessee,  was  chosen  as  the 
candidate  for  Vice-President. 

The  two  national  tickets  with  their  platforms  were 
now  before  the  people.  No  one  entertained  a  doubt  as 
to  where  Mr.  Lincoln  stood,  nor  as  to  the  intent  and 
purpose  of  the  Union  platform.  It  meant  war  to  the 
knife,  death  to  the  Confederacy,  freedom  for  the  slaves, 
and  the  Union  of  the  States.  The  Chicago  platform 
meant  the  dissolution  of  the  Union,  and  the  Independ- 
ence of  the  Southern  Confederacy. 

Mr.  Lincoln  stood  square  on  his  platform,  and  never 
wavered  or  faltered  for  a  moment  in  his  determination 
to  suppress  the  Rebellion.  George  B.  McClellan,  in  his 
letter  of  acceptance,  repudiated  a  part  of  the  Chicago 
platform  and  accepted  other  parts.  No  one  could  tell 
where  he  stood,  nor  what  he  intended  to  do  if  elected 
President.  He  knew  the  ultimatum  of  Jefferson  Davis, 
yet  he  wanted  to  disband  the  Union  Army  and  stop  the 
war.  He  knew  that  with  the  Union  Army  disbanded, 
and  the  armies  of  Lee,  Hood,  and  Johnson  still  in  the 
field,  the  independence  of  the  Confederacy  was  a  fore- 
gone conclusion ;  and  yet  he  pretended  to  be  in  favor  of 
peace  "  on  the  basis  of  the  Federal  Union  of  the 
States."  His  position  was  not  only  untenable,  but  it 
bore  falsehood  on  its  face. 

The  campaign,  though  largely  one-sided,  was  spir- 
ited and  in  some  localities  hot  and  exciting.  A  million 
Union  men  or  more  were  away  in  the  army,  and  that 
gave  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  Sons  of  Liberty, 


196  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

deserters  from  the  army,  and  traitors  generally,  a 
chance  to  annoy  the  old  men  and  frighten  the  women 
and  children,  and  thereby  keep  as  many  Union  voters 
from  the  polls  as  possible.  But  all  such  work,  disrepu- 
table and  detestable  as  it  was,  availed  them  nothing. 

The  Union  orators  went  straight  to  the  loyal  peo- 
ple and  laid  bare  the  false  pretences  of  McClellan  and 
his  supporters.  The  Union  press  and  pulpit  stood  in 
line  with  all  sails  to  the  breeze,  and  spoke  in  no  uncer- 
tain sounds.  The  voice  and  pen  of  Harriet  Beecher 
Stowe,  Julia  Ward  Howe,  Mary  A.  Livermore,  Susan 
B.  Anthony,  Lucy  Stone,  and  a  thousand  other  brilliant 
loyal  women  rang  the  changes  on  impending  dangers 
to  the  Republic,  and  portrayed  the  disasters  that  would 
follow  in  the  wake  of  fragmentary  Governments. 

While  the  battle  for  ballots  was  thus  raging 
throughout  the  North,  a  million  loyal  guns  were  hurl- 
ing missiles  of  death  at  the  Confederacy  throughout 
the  South.  Closer  and  closer  Grant  was  drawing  his 
lines  around  Lee  at  Richmond  and  Petersburg.  Right 
on  the  heels  of  the  Chicago  Convention,  bang  went 
Sherman's  guns,  and  down  went  Atlanta  in  the  heart  of 
the  Confederacy.  Incessant  was  the  roar  of  cannon 
and  the  rattle  of  musketry  along  Thomas 's  lines  among 
the  hills  of  Tennessee.  All  rolling  and  tumbling  went 
Jubal  Early 's  forces  back  from  the  Shenandoah,  with 
Phil  Sheridan  and  his  cavaliers  in  close  pursuit.  About 
the  same  time  Mobile  went  down  under  Farragut's 
guns,  and  the  troops  elsewhere  were  moving  with  a 
steadiness  of  purpose  that  bespoke  the  beginning  of 
the  end. 

These  grand  achievements  following  each  other  in 
rapid  succession,  after  the  Chicago  Convention  had 
branded  the  army  as  thieves  and  declared  the  war  a 
failure,  were  emphasized  by  a  Proclamation  from  Pres- 
ident Lincoln  for  Thanksgiving  and  national  salutes. 
This  led  up  to  the  autumn  elections  in  a  number  of  the 
States,  preceding  the  Presidential  election  of  that  year. 


NATIONAL    UNION    CONVENTION  197 

RESULT  OF  THE  ELECTION 

In  all  the  States  holding  elections  in  October,  with 
one  exception,  the  returns  showed  decided  Union  gains. 
The  dear  old  State  of  Indiana,  which  had  been  claimed 
by  the  Knights  of  the  Copperhead  Circle  for  McClellan 
and  Pendleton,  led  the  van  of  October  States  by  giving 
the  Eepublican  State  ticket  a  majority  of  over  twenty 
thousand  and  a  gain  of  four  members  of  Congress. 
These  elections  left  no  doubt  about  the  reelection  of  Mr. 
Lincoln,  although  McClellan  and  his  disloyal  support- 
ers in  the  north,  and  Jefferson  Davis  and  his  army  in 
the  South,  held  on,  grasping  like  drowning  men  at 
straws,  and  hoping  against  hope,  until  the  election  in 
November,  which  sealed  their  doom. 

At  that  election  McClellan  and  Pendleton  carried 
just  three  States — 'New  Jersey,  Delaware,  and  Ken- 
tucky—  twenty-one  electoral  votes;  and  Lincoln  and 
Johnson  carried  all  the  other  States  —  two  hundred 
and  twelve  electoral  votes.  No  election  was  held  in  the 
ten  States  then  in  rebellion.  The  vote  of  Kentucky 
should  have  been  excluded  on  account  of  the  vast  Eebel 
vote  cast  for  McClellan  and  Pendleton  in  that  State; 
but  since  it  did  not  change  the  result  it  was  allowed  to 
be  counted. 

The  result  of  this  national  election  was  a  death  blow 
to  the  Confederacy.  It  settled  the  political  schemes 
and  aspirations  of  the  Confederate  conspirators  at 
Richmond,  and  their  allies  in  the  loyal  States.  It  broke 
the  backbone  of  the  Confederate  army  and  left  the 
officers  and  soldiers  stranded  on  false  hopes  and  unful- 
filled promises.  Through  the  dark  gloom  that  en- 
shrouded every  camp,  they  saw  the  handwriting  on  the 
wall.  From  that  moment  they  began  to  inquire,  one  of 
another,  what  they  should  do  to  be  saved. 

THE  CONFEDERACY  DOOMED 

West  of  the  Mississippi  the  jig  was  up.  General 
Price  was  retreating  southward  from  his  disastrous 


198  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

raid  through  Missouri,  when  he  received  the  news  of 
McClellan's  defeat.  On  the  morning  of  the  election 
Jie  crossed  the  Arkansas  River  with  the  shattered  frag- 
ments of  his  followers,  and  that  was  the  last  ever  heard 
of  him  as  a  factor  in  war.  His  divisions  scattered  and 
his  soldiers  vanished.  Kirby  Smith,  with  sad  recollec- 
tions, and  dark  forebodings,  betook  himself  to  the 
pineries  of  Louisiana,  while  his  ragged,  hungry,  battle- 
scarred  veterans  were  wandering  about  over  the  coun- 
try in  search  of  something  to  eat.  Dick  Taylor  crossed 
the  Mississippi  and  reported  to  Hood;  Marmaduke 
was  already  a  prisoner  of  war  in  Missouri ;  Shelby  was 
organizing  an  expedition  to  Mexico;  Fagan  was  at 
home  in  Arkansas,  taking  observations  and  calcula- 
tions as  to  the  exact  time  when  the  Confederate  meteor 
would  disappear;  Gano  was  camped  at  Caddo,  guard- 
ing the  remains  of  Price's  army,  and  endeavoring  to 
suppress  the  rebellion  among  Cooper's  Indians ;  Cooper 
was  looking  after  boot-leggers  from  Texas;  and  from 
the  Ides  of  November  to  the  fall  of  Richmond  the  re- 
mainder of  the  Confederate  army  officers  in  the  Trans- 
Mississippi  Department  were  serving  on  Courts  of 
Inquiry  and  Boards  of  Review,  convened  for  the  pur- 
pose of  trying  each  other  on  recriminating  charges 
incident  to  an  army  that  had  been  the  architect  of  its 
own  misfortunes. 

East  of  the  Mississippi  the  armies  of  Lee,  Hood,  and 
Johnson,  although  staggering  and  bleeding,  were  still 
holding  out.  Lee  was  bottled  up  in  Richmond  and  Pe- 
tersburg, with  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  slowly 
melting  away.  Hood  had  given  up  in  despair;  and 
Johnson  was  in  North  Carolina  trying  to  cooperate 
with  Lee  in  Virginia. 

But  the  die  was  cast ;  the  Confederacy  was  doomed. 
General  Grant  held  his  death-grip  on  Lee  until  he  took 
down  the  Confederate  flag  and  surrendered  the  Army 


NATIONAL    UNION    CONVENTION  199 

of  Northern  Virginia  as  prisoners  of  war.  General 
Thomas,  at  Nashville,  knocked  Hood  over  the  ropes  and 
sent  his  army  glimmering  through  the  dreams  that 
were ;  General  Sherman  closed  in  on  Joe  Johnston ;  and 
the  Confederacy  became  a  thing  of  the  past. 


CHAPTEE  XV 

THE   KANSAS   STATE   CONVENTIONS   AND  ELECTION  OF    1864 

STATE  MILITIA  AND  POLITICAL  GENERALS EESULT  OF  THE 

ELECTION GOVERNOR  *S       MESSAGE REORGANIZATION 

OF  THE  STATE  MILITIA THE  SECOND  INAUGURATION  OF 

PRESIDENT     LINCOLN ON     TO     CITY    POINT ASSASSI- 
NATION OF  PRESIDENT  LINCOLN. 

ON  the  eighth  of  September,  1864,  the  Republican 
State  Convention  assembled  at  Topeka,  and  or- 
ganized by  the  election  of  John  T.  Cox,  of  Coffey 
Connty  as  President;  Wm.  M.  Inman,  Captain  Bow- 
man, Wm.  Tholen,  W.  E.  Bowker,  and  Thaddeus  Pren- 
tice as  Vice-Presidents ;  and  R.  R.  Lockwood  and  F.  G. 
Adams  as  Secretaries. 

After  adopting  resolutions  endorsing  the  adminis- 
tration of  President  Lincoln,  ratifying  the  National 
Union  platform  adopted  at  Baltimore,  and  demanding 
a  Vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war,  the  Convention  pro- 
ceeded to  nominate  a  State  Ticket,  Associate  Justice, 
Presidential  electors,  and  Member  of  Congress  as 
follows : 

For  Governor,  Samuel  J.  Crawford,  Anderson  County. 

For  Lieut.  Governor,  James  McGrew,  Wyandotte  County. 

For  See.  of  State,  R.  A.  Barker,  Atchison  County. 

For  Auditor  of  State,  J.  R.  Swallow,  Lyon  County. 

For  State  Treasurer,  Wm.    Spriggs,  Anderson   County. 

For  Atty.  General,  J.  D.  Brumbaugh,  Marshal  County. 

For  Supt.  Pub.  Instruc.,  I.  T.  Goodnow,  Riley  County. 

For  Associate  Justice,  Jacob  Safford,   Shawnee  County. 

For  Member  of  Congress,  Sidney  Clark,  Douglas  County. 

For  Presidential  Electors:  Ellsworth  Chesebrough, 
Atchison  County;  Nelson  McCracken,  Leavenworth  County; 
Robert  McBratney,  Davis  County. 

200 


KANSAS  STATE   CONVENTIONS  201 

Before  the  election  Mr.  Chesebrough  and  Mr.  Mc- 
Cracken  died,  and  Colonels  Cloud  and  Moonlight  were 
chosen  by  the  State  Central  Committee  to  succeed  them 
on  the  electoral  ticket. 

On  the  thirteenth  of  September  two  opposition  Con- 
ventions were  held  in  Topeka ;  one  composed  of  Anti- 
Lane  Eepublicans,  and  the  other  of  mugwump 
Democrats.  The  one  endorsed  the  Baltimore  platform 
and  advised  its  followers  to  support  Mr.  Lincoln.  The 
other  endorsed  the  Chicago  platform  and  ratified  the 
nomination  of  George  B.  McClellan  and  George  H. 
Pendleton.  Then  the  two  Conventions  came  together 
and  named  a  State  ticket,  composed  of  disaffected  Re- 
publicans and  War  Democrats  as  follows: 

For  Governor,  S.  0.  Thacher,  Douglas  County. 

For  Lieut.  Governor,  John  J.  Ingalls,  Atchison  County. 

For  Sec.  of  State,  W.  R.  Sanders,  Coffey  County. 

For  State  Treasurer,  J.  R.  McClure,  Davis  County. 

For  State  Auditor,  Asa  Hairgrove,  Linn  County. 

For  Atty.   General,  H.   Griswold,  Leavenworth  County. 

For  Supt.  Pub.  Instruc.,  Peter  MacVicar,  Shawnee 
County. 

For  Associate  Justice,  S.  A.  Kingman,  Brown  County. 

For  Member  of  Congress,  A.  L.  Lee,  Doniphan  County. 

For  Presidential  Electors :  T.  Bridgens,  Bourbon  County ; 
A.  G.  Ege,  Doniphan  County;  Nelson  Cobb,  Douglas  County. 

All  the  Democrats  were  earnest  supporters  of 
George  B.  McClellan. 

STATE  MILITIA  AND  POLITICAL  GENEKALS 

After  the  State  Conventions  had  nominated  their 
tickets,  the  State  Militia  (as  hereinbefore  shown)  was 
called  out  to  resist  the  Eebel  General  Price,  who 
was  advancing  on  Kansas;  and  that  prevented  a 
political  campaign,  except  such  as  Governor  Carney 
and  his  adherents  attempted  among  the  State  troops 
while  they  were  in  camp  to  protect  their  homes. 

It  was  asserted  that  the  Governor  did  not  believe 


202  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

that  Price  was  in  Missouri,  or  that  Kansas  was  in  dan- 
ger; but  that  was  not  a  reasonable  excuse  for  his  con- 
duct and  the  mutinous  conduct  of  some  of  his  Militia 
generals  and  their  staff  officers.  They  all  knew  that 
Price  with  a  large  force  was  coming,  and  nothing  but 
bullets  and  bayonets  would  check  his  advance.  Never- 
theless the  political  tempering  with  the  troops  went 
bravely  on  until  Blunt 's  and  Pleasonton's  guns  were 
thundering  around  Independence  and  along  the  Big 
Blue,  within  hearing  of  the  Kansas  State  troops. 

But  then  it  was  too  late  to  repair  the  damage  that 
had  been  done.  Those  who  were  responsible  for  the 
position  and  condition  of  the  State  troops,  stood  aghast 
or  betook  themselves  to  the  brush,  and  left  the  un- 
trained regiments  to  look  out  for  themselves.  Had  not 
Blunt  and  his  tried  veterans  thrown  themselves  into  the 
breach,  Price  would  have  marched  through  Kansas 
City  and  made  an  ash-heap  of  Southern  Kansas  and 
the  scattered  regiments  of  State  Militia. 

It  was  a  close  call.  Every  intelligent  officer  and 
soldier  at  the  front  saw  the  danger  from  the  moment 
the  first  gun  was  fired  at  the  Little  Blue,  but  they  could 
not  help  themselves.  The  political  generals  over  the 
line  had  their  ' l  eyes  sot ' '  on  the  forthcoming  election, 
and  votes  were  of  more  importance  to  them  than  all 
the  Eebels  in  Missouri.  But  the  demoralized  condition 
of  the  Militia  was  not  entirely  attributable  to  the 
political  hucksters  in  their  camps.  Quite  a  number  of 
copperheads  and  Rebel  sympathizers  were  there  tam- 
pering with  the  troops  and  putting  in  their  best  licks 
to  keep  them  from  crossing  the  State  line. 

Yet  after  all,  their  ill-advised  conduct  availed  them 
nothing,  in  so  far  as  votes  were  concerned.  The  rank 
and  file  of  the  Militia  saw  through  the  schemes  and 
traps  that  had  been  set  for  them;  and  when  they  re- 
turned home  and  went  to  the  polls  two  weeks  later, 
they  expressed  their  opinions  in  no  uncertain  way. 


KANSAS   STATE   CONVENTIONS  203 

RESULT  OF  THE  ELECTION 

The  election  was  held  on  the  eighth  day  of  Novem- 
ber, just  two  weeks  after  the  Battle  of  Mine  Creek,  the 
day  Price  was  torn  to  pieces  and  driven  from  the  State. 
The  combined  opposition,  composed  of  disaffected  Re- 
publicans, Anti-War  Democrats,  mugwumps,  copper- 
heads, and  blanket  Osages,  carries  just  six  counties; 
and  in  three  of  these,  they  voted  every  bushwhacker 
and  Rebel  sympathizer  within  reach,  from  both  sides 
of  the  Missouri  River,  who  had  escaped  Federal  prisons 
and  who  were  dodging  Federal  troops.  The  Repub- 
lican State  ticket,  including  the  Presidential  electors 
for  Lincoln  and  Johnson,  carried  all  the  other  counties ; 
and  every  candidate  on  the  ticket  was  elected  by  a 
sweeping  majority.  At  the  same  election  members  of 
the  Legislature  were  chosen,  with  both  Houses  largely 
Republican. 

Thus  the  new  State  of  Kansas,  having  escaped  the 
dire  calamities  of  an  invasion  by  Price  and  his  legions 
of  demoralized  outlaws,  and  made  a  clean  sweep  in 
the  election  of  Lincoln  Republicans  to  fill  the  various 
positions  created  by  the  Constitution,  was  now  ready  to 
take  its  proper  position  among  the  States  of  the  Union 
and  give  the  National  Administration  at  Washington 
its  loyal  support. 

On  the  ninth  of  January,  1865,  the  oath  of  office  was 
administered  to  the  State  officers  elect,  by  the  Chief 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  the  Great  Seal  of 
State  turned  over  to  the  new  Governor,  Samuel  J. 
Crawford,  who  immediately  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  his  office. 

At  that  time  the  Executive  Offices  and  Legislative 
Halls  were  in  buildings  known  as  the  "  State  Row,"  lo- 
cated on  the  west  side  of  Kansas  Avenue,  between 
Fourth  and  Fifth  Streets.  On  the  tenth  of  January, 
1865,  the  new  Legislature  convened,  organized,  and  ap- 
pointed a  Joint  Committee  to  notify  the  Governor  that 


204  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

the  two  Houses  were  in  session  and  ready  to  receive 
any  communication  he  might  have  to  make.* 

When  I  assumed  the  duties  of  Governor,  I  was  in- 
experienced in  State  affairs.  The  State,  as  yet,  was 
new.  Many  of  the  young  men  were  in  the  army,  and 
the  older  ones  were  on  duty  at  home,  endeavoring  to 
protect  their  families  and  their  own  lives  and  property 
against  bushwhackers  from  Missouri,  and  thieves,  rob- 
bers, and  murderers,  who  were  prowling  along  our  bor- 
ders on  the  south  and  east,  and  often  making  raids  on 
the  interior  settlers. 

At  the  same  time  a  band  of  lawless  Osage  Indians, 
who  had  been  in  the  Confederate  service  and  kept  along 
with  the  Rebel  troops  in  the  Indian  Territory  for  scalp- 
ing purposes,  returned  to  their  reservation  in  Southern 
Kansas  and  started  out  to  plunder  our  settlers  in  that 
part  of  the  State.  Also  the  wild  tribes  of  the  plains, 
the  Cheyennes,  Arapahoes,  Kiowas,  and  Comanches 
had  been  tampered  with  by  Confederate  authorities, 
and  were  making  war  on  our  Western  frontier  settle- 
ments. Then,  again,  there  were  quite  a  number  of 
young  able-bodied  Kansas  Patriots  engaged  in  the 
laudable  business  of  stealing  cattle  in  the  Indian  Ter- 
ritory and  driving  them  to  Kansas  in  droves  to  be 
placed  where  they  would  do  the  most  good. 

In  addition  to  all  this,  the  revenue  of  the  State  was 
deficient  and  its  credit  at  a  heavy  discount.  Some  of 
the  State  institutions  had  been  located  by  the  Legisla- 
ture, but  nothing  done  by  the  State  authorities  in  the 
way  of  securing  public  buildings  and  setting  the  in- 
stitutions in  active  operation. 

Also,  I  found  on  assuming  the  duties  of  the  office, 
that  a  draft  for  troops  had  been  ordered  in  Kansas  by 
the  Secretary  of  War;  when,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
State  had  already  furnished  over  three  thousand  vol- 
unteers more  than  had  been  officially  called  for  by  the 
President. 

*See  Appendix. 


KANSAS   STATE   CONVENTIONS  205 

So,  all  in  all,  the  affairs  of  State  were  in  bad  shape. 
But  existing  conditions  had  to  be  met,  entanglements 
straightened  out,  and  a  new  order  of  things  set  in 
motion. 

GOVERNOR'S  MESSAGE 

On  the  eleventh  of  January,  1865,  as  required  by  the 
Constitution,  I  transmitted  to  the  Legislature,  a  Mes- 
sage in  writing  from  which  I  make  the  following  brief 
extracts : 

The  Constitution  of  the  State  makes  it  the  duty  of  the 
Governor  at  the  commencement  of  each  session  of  the  Legis- 
lature to  communicate,  in  writing,  such  information  as  he 
may  possess  in  reference  to  the  condition  of  the  State  and 
recommend  such  measures  as  he  may  deem  expedient.  In 
compliance  with  this  requirement  and  in  accordance  with 
established  usage,  I  herewith  transmit  to  you  such  informa- 
tion as  I  have,  together  with  such  recommendation  as  in  my 
judgment  the  interests  of  the  State  require. 

During  the  past  season  our  citizens  have  been  blessed 
with  health  and  unusual  prosperity.  Although  the  produc- 
tions of  the  soil  have  been  less  abundant  than  in  former 
years,  yet  they  have  been  sufficient  to  meet  our  wants,  and 
amply  reward  the  husbandman  for  his  labor.  .  . 

The  reelection  of  Abraham  Lincoln  is  the  people's  dec- 
laration that  the  war  is  not  a  failure,  but  that  it  shall  be 
vigorously  prosecuted  until  the  last  vestige  of  American 
Slavery  is  extirpated — until  every  traitor  lays  down  his  arms 
and  bows  in  allegiance  to  our  flag,  and  submission  to  the  laws 
of  our  Government. 

It  is  our  duty,  and  not  ours  only,  but  the  duty  of  every 
loyal  man  in  the  nation  to  support  the  Federal  Administra- 
tion, and  afford  every  facility  for  the  vigorous  and  success- 
ful prosecution  of  the  war,  to  a  speedy  termination.  .  . 

The  State  has  furnished  for  the  war  seventeen  regiments, 
with  an  aggregate  of  twenty  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
twenty-two  men  (including  after-enlistments  into  these  regi- 
ments to  fill  their  decimated  ranks) ;  of  this  number  one  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  nine  have  reenlisted  as  veterans. 

The  quota  for  Kansas  under  the  various  calls  to  July  19, 


206  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

1864,  was  fourteen  thousand  one  hundred  and  four;  add  to 
this  quota  under  the  last  call,  which  will  be,  if  assigned  to 
Kansas  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty-three,  and  we 
have  a  total  of  sixteen  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven,  which,  with  due  allowance  for  those  enlisted  from  other 
States  and  accredited  to  Kansas  will  still  give  the  State  an 
excess  over  and  above  all  calls ;  but  from  some  cause  we  have 
not  received  credit  for  all  the  troops  furnished  by  the 
State. 

I  most  respectfully  call  your  attention  to  the  subject  of 
education.  It  cannot  be  too  carefully  considered  by  you. 
A  summary  statement  furnished  by  the  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction  shows  eight  hundred  and  fourteen  School 
Districts  organized,  with  thirty-seven  thousand  five  hundred 
and  eighty-two  children.  Of  this  number  twenty-two  thou- 
sand four  hundred  and  twenty-nine  attended  school  the  past 
year.  .  . 

To  you,  as  one  of  the  coordinate  branches  of  our  State 
government,  is  entrusted  the  important  business  of  making 
the  laws.  It  will  afford  me  pleasure  to  give  in  detail  any 
such  information  I  may  possess,  and  not  now  attainable,  and 
pledge  you  my  hearty  cooperation  in  all  measures  for  the 
protection  and  development  of  the  interests  of  the  State  and 
its  growing  population.  I  would  suggest  retrenchment  where 
it  may  be  made  without  prejudice ;  and  a  rigid  economy  in 
all  appropriations.  I  am  not  aware  that  there  is  such  an 
amount  of  legislation  as  will  occupy  your  attention  during 
the  whole  time  limited  by  law,  and  would  therefore  sug- 
gest that  your  session  be  as  short  as  a  proper  regard  and  care 
for  the  public  interests  will  justify. 

The  reports  of  the  State  officers  and  recommenda- 
tions relative  thereto,  embodied  in  this  message,  are  of 
record  in  the  several  departments  of  State,  and  are 
therefore  herein  omitted. 

Amid  surroundings  peculiar  to  a  new  State  in  time 
of  war,  the  executive  officers  and  the  State  Legislature 
of  Kansas  started  early  in  January,  1865,  to  grope 
their  way  through  a  wilderness  beset  with  obstacles. 
Prowling  about  the  State  capital,  and  in  the  slums  of 
the  larger  cities,  were  statesmen  who  made  politics  a 


KANSAS  STATE   CONVENTIONS  207 

trade  and  lived  by  their  wits.  When  the  Legislature 
of  1865  met,  they  were  there  in  force  to  direct  legisla- 
tion and  see  that  no  political  mistakes  were  made. 
Promptly  they  organized  their  forces  into  a  body 
piratical,  known  as  "  The  Third  House,"  which,  like 
all  Gaul,  was  divided  into  three  parts  —  one  to  look 
after  the  Executive  Department,  one  to  manage  the 
Legislature,  and  one  to  guard  against  the  Judiciary. 
Their  schemes  were  numerous,  and  their  audacity 
knew  no  bounds.  They  acted  as  though  they  were  old 
hands  at  the  business,  and  seemed  to  think  the  State 
a  legitimate  object  of  common  plunder.  But  erelong 
they  learned  that  things  were  not  always  as  they 
seemed ;  that  Kansas  had  a  written  Constitution  and  a 
code  of  printed  laws,  all  of  which  must  be  respected 
and  would  be  rigidly  enforced,  regardless  of  politicians, 
or  previous  circumstances.  This  was  undesirable  in- 
formation, but  it  had  the  desired  effect.  Soon  "  The 
Third  House  "  adjourned  sine  die,  and  its  patriotic 
members,  in  squads,  folded  their  tents  and  stole  silently 
away  to  their  haunts,  vowing  vengeance  against  mili- 
tary despots. 

REORGANIZATION    OP    THE    STATE    MILITIA 

On  the  twelfth  of  January  James  H.  Lane  was  re- 
elected  United  States  Senator,  and  then  the  Legislature 
settled  down  to  steady  work.  Of  the  many  acts  passed 
by  the  Legislature  of  1865,  one  provided  for  the  organ- 
ization, discipline,  and  pay  of  the  State  Militia.  In 
pursuance  of  this  act,  the  State  troops  were  reorgan- 
ized, and  general  and  staff  officers  were  appointed  and 
confirmed  as  follows: 

"W.  F.  Cloud,  Major-General. 

John  A.  Martin,  Brigadier-General,  First  District. 
Jas.  M.  Harvey,  Brigadier-General,   Second  District. 
John  T.  Burris,  Brigadier-General,  Third  District. 
Harrison  Kelley,  Brigadier-General,  Fourth  District. 
T.  J.  Anderson,  Colonel  and  Adjutant-General. 


208  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

J.  K.  Rankin,  Colonel  and  Paymaster-General. 
D.  E.  Ballard,  Colonel  and  Quartermaster-General. 
N.  T.  Winans,  Colonel  and  Surgeon-General. 
Ed.    G.   Ross,   Lieut-Colonel  and   Aide-de-Camp. 
Cyrus  Leland,  Lieut-Colonel  and  Aide-de-Camp. 
Charles  Dimon,  Lieut-Colonel  and  Aide-de-Camp. 
H.  T.  Beman,  Major  and  Ass't.  Adjutant-General. 
John    G.    Haskell,    Captain    and    Ass't    Quartermaster- 
General. 

Through  the  instrumentality  of  Colonel  Anderson, 
the  records  of  the  Adjutant-General's  office  were 
brought  up  and  made  complete,  giving  the  name  and 
record  of  every  volunteer  officer  and  soldier  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  during  the  Civil  War. 
The  official  services  of  Colonels  Eankin,  Ballard,  and 
Dr.  Winans  were  also  efficient  and  without  a  blemish. 
The  generals  all  stood  ready  to  do  their  duty  when  oc- 
casion required,  but  fortunately  their  services  were 
seldom  needed. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  the  civil  authorities  along 
our  eastern  border  proved  equal  to  every  emergency, 
although  their  duties  were  often  arduous  and  danger- 
ous. The  sheriffs  in  the  border  counties,  from  Cher- 
okee to  Doniphan,  were  men  who  had  been  tried  on 
other  fields ;  and  all  evil-doers  soon  learned  to  respect 
them.  Along  the  southern  border  the  sheriffs,  assisted 
by  General  Kelley  and  Major  Chitwood,  were  able  to 
protect  the  people  against  marauding  bands  of  thieves, 
robbers,  and  rebel  Osages.  But  of  the  Osages  and  the 
wild  tribes  on  our  western  border,  I  shall  hereinafter 
have  something  more  to  say. 

The  State  had  more  than  filled  its  quota  for  troops 
under  each  and  every  call  made  by  the  President,  and 
yet,  when  I  reached  Topeka,  I  was  informed  by  the 
War  Department  that  a  draft  for  still  more  troops  had 
been  ordered  in  Kansas.  Knowing  that  somebody  was 
in  error,  I  directed  the  Adjutant-General  to  make  a  pre- 
liminary report,  showing  the  aggregate  number  of 
troops  furnished  by  the  State,  the  number  for  which 


KANSAS  STATE   CONVENTIONS  209 

the  State  had  received  credit,  and  the  excess  over  and 
above  all  calls. 

The  Legislature,  having  been  informed  of  the  pend- 
ing draft,  and  assured  of  its  injustice,  set  about  in 
earnest  to  expedite  needed  legislation,  so  as  to  ad- 
journ at  the  earliest  practical  moment  and  thereby  en- 
able me  to  proceed  to  Washington  and  secure  credit  for 
all  the  soldiers  furnished  by  the  State.  While  the  Leg- 
islature was  thus  hastening  its  work,  the  Adjutant- 
General  was  busy  gathering  and  compiling  statistics 
for  his  report.  On  the  twentieth  of  February  the  Leg- 
islature adjourned;  the  next  day  the  Adjutant- 
General's  report  was  completed,  and  on  February 
twenty-second  I  started  for  Washington. 

On  arriving  there  I  presented  the  report  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  War,  the  Hon.  E.  M.  Stanton,  who  referred  it 
to  Colonel  Vincent  of  the  War  Department,  with  in- 
structions to  make  it  special  and  report  the  facts  to 
him  at  the  earliest  practicable  moment.  When  I 
reached  the  War  Office  I  found  a  number  of  other  Gov- 
ernors there  endeavoring  to  have  the  draft  suspended 
in  their  States ;  but  as  Secretary  Stanton  informed  me, 
no  one  of  them  had  furnished  his  quota ;  and,  of  course, 
in  such  States  the  draft  could  not  be  suspended.  In 
the  course  of  a  day  or  so,  Colonel  Vincent  reported  to 
Secretary  Stanton  that  he  had  carefully  examined  the 
records  and  found  that  Kansas  had  furnished  her  full 
quota  of  troops  under  all  calls,  and  in  addition  thereto, 
a  surplus  of  over  three  thousand. 

When  this  report  was  made,  General  Grant  was 
pressing  Lee  at  Kichmond ;  Thomas  was  winding  up  the 
Confederacy  in  Tennessee;  and  Sherman  was  batter- 
ing down  the  walls  of  treason  along  the  Atlantic  coast. 
The  authorities  at  Washington,  therefore,  were  rather 
reluctant  about  doing  anything  that  would  in  the  slight- 
est degree  check  reinforcements  or  in  any  other  way 
interfere  with  the  onward  movements  of  troops  in  the 
field. 

Nevertheless  the  need  of  troops  in  Tennessee  was  not 


210  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

so  pressing  as  in  the  Potomac  Army,  and  on  that  ac- 
count Stanton  ordered  the  draft  in  Kansas  suspended, 
and  the  drafted  men,  who  had  been  sent  forward  to 
fill  the  depleted  ranks  of  Kansas  regiments,  discharged 
and  returned  home.  This  order  was  sent  at  once  to  the 
Provost  Marshal  of  Kansas;  but  by  request  of  Secre- 
tary Stanton,  for  obvious  reasons,  it  was  not  made 
public  at  the  time.  In  fact,  most  of  the  drafted  men 
after  they  reached  their  regiments  in  Tennessee  did  not 
care  to  be  discharged.  Those  assigned  to  the  Tenth 
Kansas  served  with  that  gallant  regiment  until  mus- 
tered out  of  service  at  the  close  of  the  war.  To  have 
been  in  at  the  finish  of  such  a  war  was  better  for  young, 
able-bodied  men  than  not  to  have  been  there  at  all. 

Having  completed  my  work  in  the  War  Depart- 
ment, I  was  invited  by  Secretary  Stanton  to  remain  in 
Washington  until  after  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lin- 
coln, and  then  visit  the  Army  in  front  of  Richmond  and 
Petersburg.  To  visit  the  Potomac  Army  at  that  stage 
of  military  operations  was  a  privilege  seldom  granted 
to  any  person  not  connected  with  the  army.  Hence  I 
readily  accepted  the  Secretary's  kind  invitation. 

THE    SECOND    INAUGUKATION    OF    PEESIDENT    LINCOLN 

The  second  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  an  im- 
portant event  in  the  history  of  this  country.  It  marked 
the  beginning  of  the  end  of  the  Rebellion.  It  meant  a 
reunited  country;  a  nation  among  nations;  a  Govern- 
ment that  was  republican  in  form  and  in  fact.  The  oath 
of  office  was  administered  by  the  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court ;  and  from  the  east  portico  of  the  Cap- 
itol, Mr.  Lincoln  delivered  his  inaugural  address  to  an 
immense  throng  of  statesmen,  soldiers,  and  citizens. 

He  seemed  to  be  deeply  impressed  with  the  sub- 
ject-matter of  his  discourse.  The  vast  audience  lis- 
tened intently  and  often  expressed  their  approval  of 
what  he  was  saying,  but  generally  speaking,  they  were 
serious  and  thoughtful.  Everybody  realized  that  the 


KANSAS  STATE   CONVENTIONS  211 

war  was  rapidly  drawing  to  a  close,  and  Mr.  Lincoln, 
no  doubt,  shared  in  that  general  belief;  and,  yet,  in 
view  of  the  triumphs  already  achieved,  and  the  mo- 
mentous results  soon  to  follow,  he  was  profoundly 
serious. 

In  closing  this  never-to-be-forgotten  address,  Mr. 
Lincoln  said : 

Fondly  do  we  hope,  fervently  do  we  pray,  that  thig 
mighty  scourge  of  war  may  speedily  pass  away.  Yet  if  God 
wills  that  it  continue  until  all  the  wealth  piled  by  the  bond- 
man's two  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  unrequited  toil  shall 
be  sunk,  and  until  every  drop  of  blood  drawn  with  the  lash 
shall  be  paid  by  another  drawn  with  the  sword,  as  was 
said  three  thousand  years  ago,  so  still  it  must  be  said,  "  The 
judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true  and  righteous  altogether." 

With  malice  toward  none,  with  charity  for  all,  with 
firmness  in  the  right  as  God  gives  us  to  see  the  right,  let  us 
strive  to  finish  the  work  we  are  in, —  to  bind  up  the  Nation 's 
wounds ;  to  care  for  him  who  shall  have  borne  the  battle  and 
for  his  widow,  and  his  orphan;  to  do  all  which  may  achieve 
and  cherish  a  just  and  a  lasting  peace  among  ourselves  and 
with  all  nations. 

On  the  evening  of  March  4,  following  the  inaugural 
ceremonies,  all  eyes  were  turned  toward  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Interior,  where  the  usual  inauguration  ball 
was  to  be  given.  This,  as  the  young  folks  seemed  to 
think,  was  the  event  of  the  occasion.  Certainly  it  was 
grand,  and  in  many  ways  dazzling.  The  ballroom  was 
filled  to  overflowing,  packed  almost  to  suffocation,  with 
charming  ladies  and  with  men  of  various  grades.  In 
all  respects,  the  second  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  an  event  in  the  history  of  our  country  never  to  be 
forgotten  by  those  who  were  there. 

Of  the  Kansas  party  present,  was  an  observing 
young  lady  from  Atchison,  who  has  kindly  refreshed 
my  memory  on  things  as  they  occurred  on  that  im- 
portant occasion.  In  a  recent  communication  she  says : 


212  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

ATCHISON,  KANSAS,  October  14,  '10. 
MY  DEAR  GOVERNOR: 

I  received  your  letter,  and  am  only  too  happy  to  re- 
late to  you  the  little  incidents  of  our  trip  to  Washington  in 
1865,  and  our  attendance  at  the  Inaugural  Ball. 

You  probably  recall  that  the  Atchison  party  met  yours 
at  St.  Joseph,  where  we  all  took  supper  at  the  old  Patee 
House,  now  no  more  and  forgotten.  Our  party  was  com- 
posed of  several  ladies  and  gentlemen,  including  my  Mother 
and  myself.  At  St.  Joseph  we  took  a  Hannibal  and  St.  Joe 
train  to  Junction  City,  Mo.  The  train  carried  no  sleeper. 
Arriving  at  Junction  City,  we  transferred  to  the  Missouri  Pa- 
cific and  crossed  the  river  at  St.  Charles  in  a  ferry  boat; 
and  upon  our  arrival  in  St.  Louis,  the  Atchison  party  reg- 
istered at  Barnum's,  and  I  think  you  and  Mr.  Conway  went 
to  the  Planters'.  We  remained  in  St.  Louis  all  day,  taking 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  in  the  evening  for  Washington.  I  re- 
member that  we  were  detained  by  an  accident  in  Ohio,  and 
were  obliged  to  remain  over  night  at  some  small  town.  The 
next  morning  we  resumed  our  journey,  reaching  Bell  Air  the 
following  day.  Here  we  were  detained  again  because  of  the 
activities  of  the  Bebels,  who  had  torn  up  the  track;  and 
it  was  another  day  before  we  could  resume  our  journey.  Al- 
though the  track  was  guarded  by  Union  soldiers  the  rest  of 
the  way,  we  were  again  detained  at  Relay  Station,  where 
we  spent  the  night ;  and  resuming  our  slow  journey  the  next 
morning,  we  reached  Baltimore  late  in  the  afternoon.  We 
found  the  hotels  crowded  with  travellers  on  their  way  to 
Washington.  The  ladies  of  our  party  being  unable  to  se- 
cure rooms,  the  dining-room  of  our  aotel  was  converted  into 
a  dormitory  by  the  accommodating  landlord,  and  beds  were 
made  of  the  tables  by  a  liberal  use  of  mattresses.  Being  tired 
and  exhausted,  we  soon  fell  asleep  and  rested  well. 

The  next  day  was  the  third  of  March ;  and  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  4th  we  went  down  to  Washington.  It  was  rain- 
ing, and  the  mud  was  ankle-deep  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue; 
for  that  was  before  the  days  of  "  Boss"  Sheppard,  and 
Washington  streets  were  not  paved. 

We  proceeded  to  the  Capitol,  where  we  were  received 
by  Senator  Pomeroy.  He  conducted  us  to  the  private  gal- 
lery in  the  Senate  Chamber,  but  it  was  so  crowded,  only  the 


KANSAS   STATE   CONVENTIONS  218 

ladies  of  our  party  could  find  seats.  Being  then  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Kansas,  you,  of  course,  were  seated  on  the  Senate 
floor. 

After  Andrew  Johnson  was  sworn  in  as  Vice-Presideut, 
by  Hannibal  Hamliii,  we  were  all  conducted  to  the  east  front 
of  the  Capitol,  where  President  Lincoln  took  the  oath  of 
office,  the  second  time.  The  rain  had  ceased,  the  sun  was 
shining,  and  the  impatient  crowd,  weary  with  many  hours 
of  waiting  in  the  wind  and  rain,  cheered  as  the  President 
stepped  forth  and  Chief  Justice  Chase  administered  the  oath 
of  office.  How  little  we  then  realized  that  in  a  few  weeks, 
the  country  he  had  saved  would  be  called  to  mourn  his  loss. 
The  inaugural  address  was  brief;  and  after  the  crowd  dis- 
persed, we  returned  to  the  hotel  to  get  ready  for  the  great 
ball  in  the  evening. 

I  found  my  invitation  waiting  for  me,  engraved  on  a 
piece  of  cardboard,  about  eight  by  ten  inches,  with  the  Amer- 
ican eagle  emblazoned  thereon.  As  I  beheld  my  name  — 
"  Miss  Louisa  Chesebrough  "  —written  upon  it,  I  was  filled 
with  joyous  anticipation  of  the  coming  event.  (Alas!  this 
invitation,  which  I  so  highly  prized,  was  lost  in  the  fire 
which  completely  destroyed  our  old  home  in  1888.) 

You  called  for  us  about  nine  o'clock.  The  ball  took 
place  in  the  Interior  Department  Building ;  and  when  we  ar- 
rived we  were  conducted  to  the  room  reserved  for  the  Gov- 
ernors and  the  ladies  of  their  families.  After  removing  our 
wraps  and  straightening  out  the  kinks  in  our  extension  hoops, 
which  were  then  the  prevailing  fashion,  we  proceeded  to  the 
ballroom.  Ornate  hair-dressing  was  very  much  in  vogue,  and 
the  style  which  was  used  was  called  the  water-fall.  My  own 
costume  was  of  net  over  white  silk,  looped  with  garlands  of 
black  and  white  flowers,  and  was  made  in  Baltimore,  having 
been  previously  ordered. 

President  Lincoln  and  his  Cabinet  stood  upon  a  platform 
and  as  we  were  presented,  he  grasped  our  hands  in  a  most 
cordial  and  friendly  manner.  Mrs.  Lincoln  was  dressed  in 
the  extreme  of  fashion  and  seemed  ill  at  ease.  She  possessed 
neither  beauty  nor  grace.  The  most  distinguished-looking 
man  on  the  platform  was  Secretary  Seward,  a  man  of  high 
breeding  and  culture.  I  was  much  disappointed  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  Presidential  party,  so  far  as  the  women  were 


214  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

concerned,  and  in  spite  of  their  elaborate  gowns,  feathers, 
and  jewels,  they  had  neither  charm  nor  style. 

We  joined  the  promenade  and  walked  through  a  cotillion 
and  afterwards  watched  the  crowd.  When  supper  was  an- 
nounced, the  scramble  and  rush  was  terrific  and  in  spite  of 
guarded  doors,  the  throng  pushed  on  undaunted  and  un- 
abashed. Most  of  the  women,  after  passing  through  the 
doors,  presented  a  forlorn  appearance,  with  feathers  and 
puffs  and  flounces  torn,  and  faces  flushed.  I  arrived  in  fairly 
good  condition,  due  largely  to  the  skill  and  gallantry  of  my 
escort. 

The  banquet  table,  without  exception,  was  the  most  beau- 
tiful I  ever  saw,  and  the  viands  were  choice  and  abundant. 
The  confectioner's  art  was  well  displayed,  table  decorations 
at  that  time  being  very  high,  and  flowers  were  not  much 
used;  but  such  fairy  palaces  of  spun  sugar  with  towers  and 
turrets  made  of  sweets,  I  never  saw  before  and  have  not  seen 
since !  The  service  was  excellent,  and  after  all  had  recovered 
from  the  tempestuous  entrance  to  the  feast,  we  did  ample 
justice  to  the  occasion.  Everybody  seemed  happy  and  joy- 
ous. The  war  was  almost  over,  and  peace  and  quiet  were 
anticipated,  with  no  fear  of  the  future.  No  one  thought  of 
the  tragedy  that  was  so  soon  to  occur.  And  after  all,  how 
blessed  it  is,  that  the  future  is  veiled,  for  were  it  not  so,  few 
would  have  the  courage  to  live  on!  We  are  all  cheered  by 
Hope  and  in  the  faith  that  all  will  be  right. 

I  shall  always  remember  this  great  event ;  and  when  I  had 
returned  to  my  hotel,  I  was  conscious  of  having  spent  the 
pleasantest  evening  of  my  life.  I  was  still  young,  and  life 
was  new  and  fresh  to  me,  and  yet  I  fully  realized  that  it  was 
a  memorable  event. 

I  recall  but  few  incidents  of  the  homeward  trip;  but 
when  the  telegraph,  shortly  after  our  arrival  in  Atchison, 
brought  the  terrible  news  of  the  assassination  of  our  Pres- 
ident, I  could  not  help  but  feel  grateful  through  the  gloom 
that  oppressed  me,  that  I  was  permitted  to  see  the  wonder- 
ful Lincoln  and  to  have  touched  the  hand  that  guided  our  be- 
loved country  through  the  great  trial. 

Sincerely  yours, 
ANNA  LOUISA  CHESEBROUGH  INGALLS. 


KANSAS  STATE   CONVENTIONS  215 

This  young  lady  was  subsequently  the  wife  of  the 
Hon.  John  J.  Ingalls,  of  Kansas,  who  served  his  State 
with  distinguished  ability  for  eighteen  years,  in  the 
United  States  Senate. 

After  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  I  visited 
New  York  and  made  arrangements  for  a  Fiscal  Agency 
for  the  State,  in  that  city.  As  yet  the  credit  of  the 
State  had  not  been  established.  Our  bonds,  with  in- 
terest payable  in  New  York,  had  previously  been  nego- 
tiated and  were  floating  at  a  heavy  rate  of  discount. 
Those  who  were  handling  them  were  uninformed  as  to 
the  assets  and  resources  of  the  State.  When  told  that 
Kansas  embraced  over  fifty  million  acres  of  land,  un- 
surpassed in  richness  and  fertility;  that  the  climate 
was  mild ;  that  the  vast  prairies  were  interspersed  with 
streams  of  running  water  and  covered  with  grass  suit- 
able for  grazing  purposes,  and  that  the  soil  was  well 
adapted  to  the  production  of  fruit  and  agricultural 
products  of  all  kinds,  the  financiers,  whose  business  it 
was  to  deal  in  bonds,  stocks,  and  money,  began  to  take 
notice.  During  the  war,  our  Kansas  State  Bonds  were 
sold  at  prices  ranging  from  sixty-five  to  ninety  cents  on 
the  dollar;  but  after  the  Confederacy  collapsed,  they 
steadily  increased  to  par,  and  finally  to  a  premium. 

While  in  New  York  I  also  made  arrangements  with 
the  National  Bureau  of  Immigration  for  the  distribu- 
tion of  pamphlets  and  circulars,  printed  in  English 
and  other  languages,  relating  to  Kansas  and  the  Home- 
stead and  Preemption  Laws. 

Having  finished  my  work  in  New  York,  I  returned 
to  Washington  preparatory  to  a  visit  to  City  Point  and 
the  Potomac  Army  at  Richmond  and  Petersburg.  In 
my  absence  Senator  Lane,  Colonel  A.  S.  Johnson,  Col- 
onel Weer,  and  other  Kansas  friends  had  made  all 
necessary  arrangements  for  our  trip  to  the  seat  of  war. 

The  revenue  cutter  which  Secretary  Stanton  had 
previously  tendered  was  placed  at  our  disposal,  and 
was  in  readiness  to  start.  On  the  evening  of  March 


216  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

twenty-third  we  all  went  abroad,  and  soon  our  stanch 
man-of-war  was  steaming  down  the  Potomac  Eiver. 
We  entered  the  Chesapeake  Bay  late  in  the  afternoon, 
and  ploughed  the  waves  southward  to  Fortress  Mon- 
roe, and  thence  onward  into  Hampton  Roads. 

ON  TO  CITY  POINT 

After  viewing  the  wrecks  of  the  Congress  and  Cum- 
berland, which  were  silent,  but  still  visible  in  Hampton 
Roads,  and  each  of  us  telling  how  (if  we  had  been 
there)  we  should  have  drawn  and  quartered  the  Mer- 
rimac  and  scalped  its  officers  for  deserting  our  Navy, 
we  swung  around  into  the  James  River  and  steamed  for 
Richmond. 

Soon  we  were  passing  over  the  historic  grounds, 
where  our  ancestors  first  made  settlement  on  American 
soil.  The  ground  upon  which  they  landed  had  been 
washed  away  by  the  river.  Their  cabins,  their  forts, 
their  fields,  orchards,  and  gardens  were  all  gone,  with 
no  one  left  to  tell  the  tale.  Time  and  the  grand  old 
river,  sweeping  down  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea, 
had  done  their  work.  The  original  Jamestown,  around 
which  savagery  clustered  for  a  century,  was  gone.  It 
had  been  swallowed  up  and  lost. 

As  our  stanch  little  ship  ploughed  its  way  over 
these  ancient  ruins  one  could  not  avoid  being  impressed 
with  sad  reflections  and  the  fickleness  of  time.  Here 
but  a  brief  period  in  the  past,  stood  the  resolute  pio- 
neers of  a  great  Republic,  with  nothing  but  their  own 
manly  courage,  steady  nerve,  and  unerring  rifle,  for 
protection  against  a  race  of  savage  barbarians.  Here 
lived  the  ancestors  of  many  of  the  heroes  of  the  Rev- 
olutionary War ;  but  now  buried  under  the  dark  waves 
of  rushing  waters  and  surrounded  by  armed  traitors. 

From  Jamestown  (that  was)  we  passed  on  up  the 
river  to  Dutch  Gap  —  a  work  of  folly  that  cost  the 
Government  a  vast  sum  of  money  which  might  have 
been  expended  to  a  better  purpose.  It  was  a  gap  cut 


KANSAS  STATE   CONVENTIONS  217 

through  a  hill  of  solid  stone  to  avoid  a  bend  of  a  few 
miles  in  the  James  River.  The  cost  of  the  gap,  or  canal, 
would  have  paid  for  the  extra  hour  consumed  by  Gov- 
ernment boats  in  going  around  the  bend  for  forty  years 
or  more.  It  was  a  freak  notion  that  struck  one  of  our 
generals  who  should  have  been  giving  his  attention  to 
the  enemy  in  his  front,  rather  than  to  a  bend  in  the 
river  in  his  rear.  But  freaks  struck  a  good  many  of  our 
political  generals,  and,  of  course,  they  had  to  be  hu- 
mored, to  prevent  them  from  resigning  and  running 
for  Congress  or  the  Presidency.  Such  generals  were 
contemptible,  but  it  was  impossible  for  the  Govern- 
ment to  get  rid  of  them. 

From  Dutch  Gap  we  proceeded  to  City  Point  and 
anchored  in  the  James  River,  opposite  General  Grant 's 
headquarters.  On  the  morning  of  March  25,  we  paid 
our  respects  to  the  General  and  heard  much  concern- 
ing his  plan  of  operations.  Grant  was  a  great  General, 
and  knew  at  all  times  what  he  was  doing.  In  Lee  he 
had  a  powerful  antagonist,  and  nobody  understood 
that  fact  better  than  Grant.  He  grasped  the  whole  sit- 
uation, and  moved  his  army  with  the  precision  of  an 
expert  in  a  game  of  chess.  He  anticipated  almost 
every  movement  Lee  would  naturally  make,  and  he  was 
generally  prepared  for  it.  He  figured  almost  to  the 
day  when  Lee  would  abandon  Richmond  and  Peters- 
burg. 

(  After  a  brief  visit  the  General  gave  us  our  liberty 
within  the  lines,  and  also  transportation  over  a  rough- 
and-tumble  railroad,  running  from  City  Point  around 
in  the  rear  of  his  line  of  entrenchments,  fortifications, 
and  signal  stations,  as  far  as  the  same  extended.  At 
one  o'clock  the  next  morning,  General  Gordon,  with  a 
division  of  Confederate  troops  quietly  advanced  across 
the  intervening  space  between  the  two  lines  and  at- 
tacked and  captured  Fort  Stedman,  one  of  the  many 
forts  along  the  Federal  line.  Instantly  a  division  of 
the  Sixth  Corps,  which  was  in  line  in  rear  of  Fort  Sted- 


218  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

man,  dashed  forward  and  cut  off  Gordon's  retreat. 
His  men  sought  shelter  in  the  fort  they  had  temporarily 
captured,  but  the  guns  from  the  forts  next  on  either 
side  were  immediately  turned  upon  them  and  they 
were  quickly  shelled  into  submission.  Gordon,  with  a 
few  of  his  men,  ran  the  gantlet  and  made  his  escape. 

Early  in  the  morning  following  this  disastrous  charge 
of  Gordon,  General  Grant  opened  fire  with  his  artillery 
from  the  forts,  and  at  the  same  time  advancing  his  in- 
fantry in  the  centre  and  on  the  left,  made  things  lively 
during  the  day.  About  nine  o  'clock  in  the  morning,  our 
Kansas  contingent  boarded  a  train  at  City  Point  and 
rode  out  seven  or  eight  miles  to  an  elevated  position  in 
rear  of  the  contending  forces  and  viewed  the  battle 
from  a  distance. 

When  we  reached  our  viewpoint,  no  less  than  two 
hundred  guns  from  our  forts  were  pouring  shot  and 
shell  into  the  Eebel  lines,  and  the  smoke  from  fifty 
thousand  muskets  was  rising  slowly  over  a  line  of  blue, 
as  far  as  our  field-glasses  would  reach.  Nor  were  Lee's 
guns  silent.  Often  shot  and  shell  from  his  artillery 
would  go  screeching  over  our  uneasy  heads,  as  we 
sat  on  top  of  our  car  gazing  intently  at  the  awful  scene 
before  us. 

The  operators  on  top  of  the  signal  stations,  high 
in  the  air,  were  busy  with  their  red  flags  communicat- 
ing General  Grant's  orders  from  City  Point  to  his 
generals  all  along  the  line.  They  looked  like  little 
boys  playing  with  toys,  but  they  were  unflinching  men 
of  nerve  giving  strict  attention  to  duty,  amid  dangerous 
surroundings.  Often  a  Eebel  battery  would  be  turned 
on  a  signal  tower,  and  when  the  shells  were  bursting 
all  around  the  operator,  he  paid  no  attention  to  them. 

As  a  picture  the  scene  was  grand,  but  terrific.  It 
was  a  real  tragedy  enacted  in  the  open  field  on  a  mag- 
nificent scale.  During  the  day  many  men  were  killed 
and  wounded  on  both  sides;  but  the  Union  line  was 
advanced,  and  some  three  thousand  of  the  enemy  were 


KANSAS  STATE   CONVENTIONS  219 

captured.  From  that  day  the  fighting  continued  al- 
most incessantly  until  General  Lee  abandoned  the  field 
and  started  on  his  fatal  retreat  to  Appomattox. 

When  the  thrilling  scenes  of  that  ever-memorable 
twenty-sixth  of  March  were  drawing  to  a  close,  the 
Kansas  Jayhawkers  boarded  their  car  and  returned  to 
City  Point.  The  next  day  we  were  furnished  with 
horses  and  visited  friends  in  the  different  corps  of  the 
army;  and  on  the  twenty-eighth  we  started  on  our  re- 
turn to  Washington.  To  those  of  our  party  who  had 
served  in  the  Western  Army,  the  trip  was  intensely 
interesting;  and  our  only  regret  was  that  we  could  not 
be  assigned  to  duty  with  the  Potomac  Army  and  be  in 
at  the  finish.  But  duty  called  us  elsewhere.  After 
attending  to  some  matters  in  the  Departments,  we  bade 
Mr.  Lincoln  and  others  good-bye  and  wended  our  way 
westward. 

ASSASSINATION  OF  PBESIDENT  LINCOLN 

A  few  days  after  I  left  Washington,  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  assassinated  by  J.  Wilkes  Booth,  a  dissolute,  de- 
generate son  of  a  noble  ancestry.  On  receiving  the 
news  of  this  awful  calamity,  I  issued  a  Proclamation 
of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
TOPEKA,  KAN.,  April  15,  1865. 

A  PROCLAMATION 

An  inscrutable  but  all-wise  Providence  has  suddenly  vis- 
ited the  nation  amid  its  rejoicings  and  newborn  hopes. 

President  Lincoln  has  been  wickedly  assassinated ;  a  loyal 
people  are  shedding  bitter  tears  of  sorrow;  grief,  the  most 
poignant,  fills  the  heart  of  every  true  patriot  in  the  land; 
a  calamity  that  seems  almost  unbearable  has  visited  the  na- 
tion! Let  us  submit  with  Christian  resignation  to  the  great 
affliction  —  kiss  the  hand  that  smites  us,  remembering  that 
it  is  our  Father's  will. 

I  do  recommend  that  in  respect  to  the  memory  of  the 
slain  hero  and  patriot,  the  public  and  private  buildings  in 
the  State  be  draped  in  mourning,  so  far  as  practicable,  for 


220  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

the  space  of  ten  days;  and  that  on  Sunday  the  23rd  inst, 
especial  prayers  be  offered  to  the  Almighty  God  that  He  will 
sanctify  this  great  calamity  to  the  good  of  our  bereaved 
country. 

In  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  caused  the  great 
seal  of  the  State  to  be  affixed,  at  Topeka,  this  15th  day  of 
April,  1865. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor. 

The  assassination  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  following  so 
closely  the  surrender  of  Lee  and  his  army,  turned  the 
loyal  people  of  the  United  States  from  the  camp  of  re- 
joicing into  a  house  of  mourning.  It  shocked  the  Na- 
tion, and  staggered  even  the  Confederate  soldiers  who 
had  fought  bravely  and  surrendered  manfully.  But 
the  "  Golden  Circle  "  patriots,  who  had  opposed  the 
war  and  were  "  agin  the  government,"  betook  them- 
selves to  the  dark  alleys  and  rejoiced  over  this  heinous 
crime  of  their  loathsome  confederate. 

These  miserable  creatures  were  silly  enough  to 
think  that  the  life  of  the  Eepublic  was  in  the  hands  of 
one  man,  and  since  he  was  removed  the  Government  of 
the  United  States  wo.uld  fall  to  pieces.  Soon,  however, 
the  wires  flashed  the  news  that  Andrew  Johnson  was 
President.  Lee  had  gone  home,  Jefferson  Davis  was 
in  prison,  the  assassins  were  in  irons,  and  the  Govern- 
ment at  Washington  was  much  alive.  This  was  sad 
news  for  the  copperheads.  They  had  been  listening, 
with  ear-trumpets,  to  hear  of  Davis  in  the  White  House, 
Grant  in  prison,  Lee  marching  on  Washington,  and 
Wilkes  Booth  as  Provost  Marshal  General. 

Thus,  bereft  of  all  hopes,  and  suddenly  "plunged 
into  the  depths  of  dark  despair,"  they  shed  their  but- 
ternut garb  and  signaled  for  lifeboats.  When  the  boys 
in  blue  came  marching  home  with  the  flag  of  their 
country  untarnished,  these  Northern  traitors-at-heart, 
burned  the  records  of  their  treasonable  organizations, 
bowed  to  the  inevitable,  and  moved  off  to  places  where 
their  evil  deeds  were  unknown. 


KANSAS  STATE  CONVENTIONS  221 

The  assassination  of  Mr.  Lincoln  was  the  last  of  a 
chain  of  dark  and  despicable  crimes  committed  by 
traitors  during  the  so-called  Civil  War.  It  was  re- 
volting in  the  extreme,  but  in  keeping  with  the  methods 
adopted  and  sanctioned  by  Confederate  authorities 
generally. 

Of  all  loyal  men,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  the  last  who  should 
have  suffered  such  a  fate.  He  had  stood  bravely  at 
the  helm  and  guided  the  ship  safely  through  the  storm 
without  turning  to  the  right  or  left.  His  great  heart 
went  out  in  sympathy  to  those  who  fell ;  and  while  he 
was  lowering  his  life-boats  to  bring  them  in,  the  fatal 
shot  was  fired.  For  a  while  humanity  was  shocked,  and 
the  civilized  world  stood  aghast ;  but  the  Ship  of  State 
rode  the  storm  with  all  sails  spread  to  the  breeze. 

Of  all  our  American  statesmen  and  patriots,  Mr. 
Lincoln  stands  first  and  foremost.  In  peace  and  war 
he  was  the  noblest  of  them  all. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

HOMEWAED  BOUND 

INDIAN    MAEAUDEKS STATE    AFFAIRS IMMIGRATION    SO- 
CIETY. 

THE  Confederate  Government  having  been  blotted 
out,  and  the  armies  of  Lee  and  Johnston  having 
surrendered  to  Grant  and  Sherman,  peace  at  last  be- 
gan to  dawn  on  our  bleeding  country.  The  roar  of  can- 
non, the  rattle  of  musketry,  and  the  clash  of  sabres, 
were  now  heard  but  faintly  on  distant  fields.  A  long 
and  bloody  war  was  drawing  to  a  close.  Many  homes 
were  draped  in  mourning,  and  many  mothers,  wives, 
and  sisters  bowed  down  in  grief. 

But  serious,  sad,  and  sanguinary  as  had  been  the 
struggle,  it  had  to  be.  It  was  that  or  worse.  The  wreck 
and  ruin  of  other  republics,  scattered  over  the  history 
of  time,  and  the  struggle  through  which  our  ancestors 
had  passed,  were  too  plain  in  the  memory  of  loyal 
Americans  to  allow  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  to  go  down,  merely  to  gratify  the  whims  of  am- 
bitious politicians. 

After  the  surrender  of  General  Lee  and  the  capture 
of  Jefferson  Davis,  the  Rebel  brigades  and  battalions 
elsewhere,  quickly  followed  in  the  wake,  and  soon  the 
survivors  of  the  lost  cause  were  homeward  bound.  The 
Confederacy  having  thus  gone  down  and  out,  the  Fed- 
eral troops  were  ordered  home  to  be  paid  off  and  hon- 
orably mustered  out  of  service. 

One  by  one  the  Kansas  regiments,  battalions,  and 
batteries  of  artillery,  with  their  ranks  depleted,  came 
marching  home,  turned  over  their  untarnished  flags  to 
the  State,  and  then  the  brave  survivors  of  the  bloodiest 

222 


HOMEWARD    BOUND  223 

war  of  modern  times  resumed  the  peaceful  pursuits  of 
life. 

For  a  while  the  Rebel  bushwhackers,  outlaws,  and 
sneak-thieves  generally  along  the  eastern  and  southern 
borders  of  Kansas,  defied  the  civil  and  military  authori- 
ties and  attempted  to  continue  their  dastardly  deeds  of 
crime.  But  in  Kansas  they  were  handled  without 
gloves  and  peace  was  speedily  restored.  General  C. 
M.  Dodge,  a  true  soldier,  was  assigned  to  the  command 
of  the  Department,  with  headquarters  at  Fort  Leaven- 
worth;  and  with  his  assistance  these  marauders  were 
quickly  rounded  up  and  mustered  out  of  service,  or 
furnished  with  quarters  in  the  State  Penitentiary. 

INDIAN  MARAUDERS 

But  not  so  with  the  wild  Indians  of  the  plains,  whom 
the  Confederate  authorities  had  armed,  equipped,  and 
started  on  the  war-path.  When  the  grass  sprang  up 
in  the  Spring  of  1865,  these  savage  barbarians  came 
out  from  their  winter  haunts  and  waged  a  relentless 
warfare  against  the  frontier  settlers  of  Kansas  and 
Nebraska. 

To  protect  the  lives  and  property  of  the  people  and 
suppress  this  wide-spread  insurrection,  the  Eleventh, 
Fifteenth,  Sixteenth,  and  Seventeenth  Kansas  regi- 
ments were  sent  to  the  plains;  also  a  number  of  regi- 
ments from  Colorado  and  elsewhere.  But  the  nomads 
were  wary  and  hard  to  catch.  Their  field  of  operations 
extended  from  Southern  Kansas  to  North  Dakota. 
Their  main  objective  points  were  the  frontier  settle- 
ments of  Kansas  and  Nebraska  and  the  overland  routes 
of  travel  and  transportation  from  the  Missouri  River 
to  the  Western  Territories. 

The  Platte  River  seemed  to  be  the  dividing  line  be- 
tween the  Northern  and  Southern  Indians.  For  ma- 
rauding purposes  the  overland  route  and  country  north- 
ward belonged  to  the  Sioux  tribes  and  their  allies; 
while  the  old  Santa  Fe  trail  and  settlements  in  West- 


224  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

ern  Kansas  belonged  to  the  Cheyennes,  Arapahoes, 
Kiowas,  and  Comanches. 

During  the  Spring  and  Summer  of  1865,  Colonel 
Cloud,  with  the  Fifteenth  Kansas  and  some  other 
troops,  held  the  Southern  Indians  off  the  frontier  set- 
tlements, except  on  two  or  three  occasions,  when  small 
parties  dashed  in  and  captured  a  number  of  horses  and 
other  property.  But  in  spite  of  the  troops  many  dep- 
redations were  committed  on  the  Santa  Fe  and  Smoky 
Hill  overland  routes.  Emigrant  trains  and  trains 
loaded  with  merchandise  for  New  Mexico  and  other 
Western  Territories  were  captured  and  a  number  of 
people  killed. 

Thus  the  summer  wore  away,  with  the  State  and  the 
War  Department  endeavoring  to  protect  the  settlers 
and  the  lines  of  travel;  and  the  Interior  Department 
and  its  agents  trying  to  protect  the  hostile  Indians. 
It  was  an  anomolous  sort  of  proceeding,  but  no  more  so 
than  the  so-called  Indian  policy  adopted  by  the  Interior 
Department  at  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  and  adhered 
to  for  four  years  thereafter,  while  the  State  of  Kan- 
sas was  trying  to  push  its  settlements  westward,  and 
the  Government  was  endeavoring  to  secure  the  build- 
ing of  a  railroad  to  the  Pacific.  But  of  this  policy  and 
its  results,  I  shall  hereinafter  make  mention. 

In  the  Fall  of  1865  the  hostile  Indians  returned 
as  usual  to  their  winter  haunts  and  the  Kansas  Vol- 
unteers were  ordered  home  and  mustered  out  of  serv- 
ice. That  left  the  State  virtually  on  its  own  resources. 
It  was  in  the  days  of  reconstruction  following  the  Civil 
War,  and  most  of  the  United  States  troops  were  on 
duty  in  the  South. 

STATE   AFFAIRS 

On  my  return  from  the  East  in  April,  1865,  having 
secured  full  recognition  of  the  State  by  the  authorities 
at  Washington,  and  made  satisfactory  arrangements  in 
New  York  concerning  State  finances,  I  set  about  to  re- 


HOMEWAED    BOUND  225 

construct  matters  generally  and  place  the  State  in  line 
with  the  other  States  of  the  Union. 

As  yet  but  little  had  been  done.  The  War  of  the 
Rebellion  had  disturbed  things  generally.  The  feud 
among  ambitious  politicians  in  Kansas  had  been  raging 
with  great  fury  during  the  war.  The  election  of  a  U. 
S.  Senator  and  State  officers,  when  there  were  no  va- 
cancies, and  the  impeachment  of  certain  State  officials, 
had  kept  the  politicians  in  a  state  of  turmoil  and  strife, 
which  left  our  proud  young  Commonwealth  in  a  de- 
plorable condition  financially  and  otherwise.  No 
money,  no  credit,  no  State  buildings  nor  institutions, 
and  no  standing  before  the  Executive  Departments  of 
the  Government  at  Washington. 

But  the  Kansas  troops  in  the  field  had  made  their 
mark,  and  notwithstanding  the  political  muddle  at 
home,  the  flag  of  the  State  was  still  flying.  In  every 
important  battle  west  of  the  Mississippi  and  in  many 
to  the  eastward,  Kansas  soldiers  were  there  and  al- 
ways found  in  the  front  line;  and  that  is  where  the 
State  in  its  civil  affairs  should  have  stood  from  the  be- 
ginning. But  fate  decreed  otherwise,  and  I  had  to  take 
things  as  I  found  them. 

Soon;  after  assuming  the  duties  of  the  office,  I 
rounded  up  the  cattle  thieves  and  turned  them  and 
their  stolen  herds  over  to  General  Dodge.  Then  the 
thieves,  robbers,  and  murderers  along  the  border  were 
brought  to  a  standstill  and  disposed  of  in  a  way  com- 
mensurate with  their  evil  doings. 

In  the  early  Spring  of  1865  the  Adjutant  General 's 
office  was  reorganized,  with  experienced  officers  and 
men  in  charge,  who  soon  made  it  a  model  office.  The 
record  of  every  Kansas  officer  and  soldier  in  the  Civil 
War  was  made  up,  and  will  be  read  by  future  genera- 
tions. 

During  the  Summer  the  State  Militia  was  reorgan- 
ized and  placed  on  a  footing  where  they  could  be  of 
service  when  required.  The  general  officers  and  the  field 


226  KANSAS  IN  THE   SIXTIES 

and  staff,  as  already  shown,  were  men  of  military  ex- 
perience, and  many  of  the  enlisted  men  were  veteran 
soldiers  who  had  served  in  the  Civil  War. 

These  preliminary  arrangements  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  record  of  Kansas  soldiers  and  the  protec- 
tion of  the  lives  and  property  of  our  citizens  being  com- 
pleted, I  turned  my  attention  to  the  necessities  of  the 
State  from  other  than  a  military  standpoint. 

As  yet  our  State  Capitol,  State  Penitentiary,  and 
State  institutions  were  all  in  embryo.  Most  of  them 
had  been  located,  but  that  was  all,  except  a  contract 
which  had  been  let  for  the  building  of  one  wing  of  the 
Penitentiary,  but  which  had  been  violated  and  was 
about  to  involve  the  State  in  litigation.  So,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  we  had  nothing  with  which  to  set  up  house- 
keeping, except  the  State  Seal,  a  lease  on  some  leaky 
buildings,  and  quite  an  assortment  of  bills  payable. 

But  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  was  over,  the  Union 
armies  were  disbanded,  and  a  million  soldiers  were  at 
their  homes  throughout  the  country  adjusting  them- 
selves to  the  new  order  of  things.  The  young  ladies 
of  the  country  had  been  waiting  patiently  for  the 
return  of  their  fiances  and  were  now  ready  to  enlist, 
"  go  West,  and  grow  up  with  the  country."  The  boys 
in  blue,  fresh  from  the  field  of  battle,  where  their  cour- 
age and  powers  of  endurance  had  never  been  ques- 
tioned, were  now  ready  to  surrender  at  discretion  and 
be  led  away  whithersoever  their  tyrannical  bosses 
might  choose  to  take  them. 

IMMIGRATION   SOCIETY 

Knowing  something  of  the  characteristics  of  these 
battle-scarred  veterans,  and  how  susceptible  they  would 
be  when  returned  home,  I  organized  an  Immigration 
Society  in  Topeka  and  set  about  to  inform  the  veterans 
and  others  of  the  opportunities,  advantages,  and  vast 
natural  resources  of  the  State  of  Kansas.  During  the 
Spring  and  Summer  of  1865  I  prepared  and  dis- 


HOMEWARD    BOUND  227 

tributed  throughout  the  States  east  of  the  Mississippi 
many  thousand  copies  of  pamphlets  and  circulars, 
showing  the  vast  amount  of  rich  agricultural  and  graz- 
ing lands  in  Kansas  that  were  open  to  settlement  under 
the  homestead  and  preemption  laws. 

Gradually  the  tide  of  immigration,  which  pre- 
viously had  been  to  Minnesota  and  the  Northwest, 
turned  to  Kansas,  and  by  the  early  Fall  every  road 
leading  from  the  East  was  lined  with  emigrant  wagons 
coming  our  way.  Many  immigrants  also  came  by 
boat  up  the  Missouri  River  and  by  rail  over  the  Han- 
nibal and  St.  Joseph  road.  For  four  years  we  kept  up 
this  immigration  work  until  Eastern  Kansas  was  well 
occupied,  and  the  immigrants  were  moving  westward 
at  a  rapid  rate.  Until  the  railroads  reached  the  in- 
terior of  Kansas,  most  of  the  settlers  came  in  wagons, 
and  brought  with  them  horses,  cattle,  and  other  things 
of  value  that  added  to  the  taxable  property  of  the 
State. 

This  enabled  the  Legislature  and  State  authorities 
to  begin  work  on  much  needed  State  buildings  and 
State  institutions.  Thus  the  first  year  of  my  adminis- 
tration as  Governor  passed  with  every  good  citizen  at 
the  wheel.  At  an  early  date  orders  were  issued  to  the 
sheriffs  and  State  troops  in  border  counties,  "  Let  no 
guilty  man  escape,"  be  he  a  bushwhacker,  or  criminal 
of  any  other  class,  color,  or  previous  condition.  Some 
of  the  "  Knights  of  the  Brush  "  were  killed  outright; 
others  were  hanged  legally;  and  the  remainder  were 
safely  lodged  in  the  penitentiary. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  peace  reigned  supreme  and 
prosperity  was  visible  on  every  hand.  Our  own  gal- 
lant soldiers,  who  had  given  their  State  an  imperish- 
able name,  were  home  from  the  war  and  busy  selecting 
partners  for  the  "  quadrille,"  and  homesteads  on  the 
public  domain.  Their  comrades  from  other  States, 
with  their  happy  courageous  brides  who  had  waited  pa- 
tiently for  the  cruel  war  to  close,  were  coming.  The 


228  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

roads  were  lined  with  covered  wagons,  and  new  homes 
were  springing  up  on  every  hand. 

It  was  a  picturesque  scene;  a  panorama  that  will 
never  be  forgotten  by  the  pioneer  settlers.  The  tide  of 
immigration  having  thus  been  turned  to  Kansas,  no  ef- 
fort was  spared  in  keeping  it  coming  our  way.  Stead- 
ily the  immigrants  pushed  southward  and  westward; 
new  counties  were  organized;  new  towns  sprang  up, 
and  new  fields  of  golden  grain  stretched  away  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
1866 

RAILROADS  —  INDIAN       DEPREDATIONS BATTLE       FLAGS  — 

SUICIDE   OF  SENATOR  LANE RE-ELECTED  GOVERNOR 

A  DOUBLE  WEDDING STATE  UNIVERSITY STATE  AGRI- 
CULTURAL COLLEGE. 

THE  year  1866  opened  bright  and  promising  to  Kan- 
sas. It  bade  fair  to  be  a  year  of  peace  and  plenty. 
The  bushwhackers  and  marauders  on  our  eastern  and 
southern  borders  having  been  suppressed,  and  the  hos- 
tile Indians  being  away  in  their  winter  haunts,  the  set- 
tlers everywhere  throughout  the  State  felt  secure  in 
their  homes. 

On  the  ninth  of  January  the  Legislature  convened 
at  Topeka,*  organized,  and  notified  the  Governor  of 
their  readiness  to  receive  any  message  or  communica- 
tion he  might  have  to  make. 

Among  the  many  laws  enacted  by  the  Legislature  of 
1866,  were  the  acts  providing  for  the  erection  of  the 
State  Capitol  Building,  the  State  Penitentiary,  the 
Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum,  and  other  State  institutions. 
Also  acts  authorizing  the  sale  of  Internal  Improve- 
ment lands,  Agricultural  College  lands,  University, 
and  Normal  School  lands.  Also  acts  providing  for  a 
Geological  survey  and  the  sale  of  lands  for  State  pur- 
poses. This  Legislature  was  liberal,  progressive,  and 
conservative.  The  two  Houses  scrutinized  every  act, 
and  did  what  they  believed  to  be  for  the  best  interests 
of  the  State. 

On  the  twenty-seventh  of  February  the  Legislature 

*See  Appendix. 

229 


230  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

adjourned;  and  soon  thereafter  proposals  were  pub- 
lished for  the  building  of  the  east  wing  of  the  State 
Capitol  and  the  north  wing  of  the  State  Penitentiary. 
While  the  architect  was  preparing  his  plans  for  these 
buildings,  I  proceeded  to  New  York  and  sold  the  bonds 
which  had  been  authorized  by  the  Legislature;  and 
when  I  returned,  the  contracts  were  awarded  and  the 
work  of  construction  was  commenced. 

EAILBOADS 

Meantime  the  Kansas  Pacific  Railroad  was  pushing 
its  way  westward  from  Wyandotte  and  Leavenworth, 
along  the  Kansas  and  Smoky  Hill  valleys,  toward  Den- 
ver City  and  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Early  in  March  the 
road  was  completed  to  Topeka,  and  opened  for  travel 
and  transportation.  On  the  twenty-fifth  of  June,  the 
Missouri  Pacific  was  completed  to  Kansas  City,  which 
made  a  continuous  line  from  Topeka  to  the  Atlantic 
seaboard.  On  the  first  of  July,  1866,  the  Kansas  Pa- 
cific was  completed  to  Junction  City,  from  which  point 
the  overland  mail  and  stage  coaches  to  Santa  Fe  and 
the  West  subsequently  started.  On  the  same  day  the 
first  through  passenger  train  started  from  Leaven- 
worth,  over  the  Missouri  River  and  Missouri  Pacific 
Railroad  to  St.  Louis. 

By  the  original  Act  of  Congress,  the  route  of  the 
Kansas  Pacific  (U.  P.  E.  D.)  was  from  Fort  Riley  to 
the  point  where  the  Union  Pacific  crossed  the  one 
hundredth  meridian  in  the  State  of  Nebraska.  But  on 
the  third  of  July,  1866,  Congress  changed  the  route 
to  a  line  running  west  from  Fort  Riley  to  Denver  City, 
and  thence  in  a  northwesterly  direction  to  the  Union 
Pacific.  As  soon  as  this  change  was  made,  the  Kansas 
Pacific  Company  definitely  located  their  line  on  the 
Smoky  Hill  route,  and  pushed  forward  the  work  of 
construction. 

Their  grading  parties  were  strung  out  along  the 
new  route,  and  soon  reached  the  "  Great  American 


KANSAS    IN    THE    SIXTIES  —  1866  231 

Desert,"  extending  from  our  frontier  settlements  to 
the  eastern  base  of  the  Eocky  Mountains.  This  vast 
plain,  or  so-called  desert,  during  the  summer  season, 
was  covered  with  a  mat  of  nutritious  grass,  and  inhab- 
ited by  countless  millions  of  buffalo,  deer,  antelope,  and 
other  wild  animals,  and  roving  bands  of  wild  Indians. 
The  "  Great  American  Desert  "  of  ancient  times  had 
passed  away,  and  a  most  beautiful  country,  robed  in 
green  and  jewelled  with  winding  streams  of  living 
water,  beckoned  the  coming  of  railroads  and  the  white 
man's  civilization. 

INDIAN  DEPEEDATIONS 

But  not  so  with  the  wild  beasts  and  savage  bar- 
barians. They  seemed  to  regard  themselves  as  mon- 
archs  of  all  they  surveyed,  with  rights  that  none  could 
dispute.  Especially  was  this  true  of  the  barbarians. 
They  roamed  the  plains  in  search  of  something  to  kill 
or  somebody  to  rob.  That  was  their  business,  their 
profession,  and  they  had  been  trained  to  it  by  white 
renegades  and  incompetent,  dishonest  officials,  who 
cared  nothing  for  the  Indians  or  for  the  defenceless 
frontier  settlers. 

Early  in  the  Spring  of  1866  the  "  noble  "  red  sav- 
ages, fresh  from  their  haunts  in  the  western  part  of 
the  Indian  Territory,  where  they  had  been  supplied 
with  food,  clothing,  arms,  and  ammunition,  during  the 
previous  Winter  by  U.  S.  Indian  Agents,  made  their 
appearance  on  the  old  Santa  Fe  Trail  and  along  the 
Smoky  Hill,  Solomon,  and  Republican  Rivers,  and  be- 
gan to  commit  depredations  on  overland  trains,  trans- 
portation, railroad  grading  parties,  and  the  frontier 
settlers. 

To  meet  these  barbarians  I  organized  a  battalion 
of  State  troops  along  the  western  border,  and  held  the 
companies  in  readiness  for  action  when  occasion  re- 
quired. By  this  means  I  protected  the  frontier  set- 
tlements and  prevented  them  from  being  rolled  back 


232  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

by  the  Indians ;  but  the  overland  transportation  to  and 
from  New  Mexico,  Colorado,  and  the  West,  and  the 
construction  parties  on  the  Kansas  Pacific  Eailroad, 
suffered  heavy  losses. 

General  Hancock  was  in  command  of  the  Depart- 
ment, with  headquarters  in  St.  Louis,  but  he  had  only  a 
few  troops  of  cavalry  on  duty  in  Kansas.  Neverthe- 
less, he  did  all  that  could  be  done  under  the  circum- 
stances, as  will  be  observed  from  a  despatch  of  which 
the  following  is  a  copy: 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  MISSOURI, 

ST.  Louis,  Mo.,  August  28,  1866. 
GOVERNOR  CRAWFORD, 

Topeka,  Kansas : 

I  have  received  your  despatch  to  General  Hoffman,  con- 
cerning Indian  troubles  on  the  Solomon.  I  have  directed 
a  scout  of  one  hundred  cavalry,  from  Fort  Ellsworth,  in  that 
vicinity.  Where  can  they  meet  a  company  of  State  militia, 
now  scouting  in  that  vicinity,  so  they  can  operate  together? 
I  have  also  ordered  a  company  of  cavalry  from  Fort  .Ells-- 
worth  to  Fort  Kearny,  and  will  notify  General  Cooke,  so  when 
they  arrive  in  his  department  he  can  use  them  against  the  iln- 
dians,  if  necessary.  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  protect  the  set- 
tlers, and  shall  always  be  glad  to  have  any  suggestions  from 
you.  The  company  is  an  addition  already  in  Solomon's 
Fork. 

(Signed)  WINFIELD  S.  HANCOCK, 

Major  General  Commanding. 

Early  in  May  I  ordered  out  a  company  of  State 
troops  on  the  northwestern  frontier,  which  after  scout- 
ing a  few  days,  met  and  had  a  sharp  engagement  west 
of  Lake  Sibley  with  a  roving  band  of  Cheyennes.  After 
this  engagement  the  Indians  fell  back  on  the  plains  and 
continued  to  harass  emigrants  and  overland  trans- 
portation, until  driven  back  to  their  haunts  by  the 
storms  of  winter. 

While  this  Indian  warfare  was  being  waged  on  the 
plains,  the  work  on  our  public  buildings  and  State  in- 
stitutions was  progressing  steadily.  The  left-over 


KANSAS    IN    THE    SIXTIES  —  1866  233 

bushwhackers  and  outlaws  along  our  eastern  border 
having  been  suppressed,  peace  once  more  reigned  su- 
preme in  Eastern  Kansas. 

BATTLE  FLAGS 

The  War  of  the  Eebellion  having  drawn  its  weary 
length  to  a  close,  I  issued  a  circular  of  which  the 
following  is  a  copy : 

STATE  OP  KANSAS,  ADJUTANT  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

TOPEKA,  June  1,  1866. 

The  battle  flags  borne  by  Kansas  Soldiers  in  the  late  war 
for  the  preservation  of  the  Union,  will  be  formally  received 
by  the  State  authorities  at  the  city  of  Topeka  on  the  4th  of 
July  next,  to  be  deposited  among  the  archives  of  the  State, 
there  to  be  sacredly  preserved  and  che'rished  as  emblems  of 
the  true  devotion  and  patriotism  of  her  noble  sons,  dead  and 
living,  to  the  cause  of  LIBERTY  and  UNION. 

All  officers  and  soldiers  of  Kansas  in  service  during  the 
Rebellion  are  cordially  invited  to  be  present  and  take  part 
in  the  ceremonies  of  the  occasion. 

By  order  of  S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 
Gov.  and  Commander-in-Chief. 

T.  J.  ANDERSON, 
Adj't  General  of  Kansas. 

In  pursuance  of  this  invitation,  many  of  the  Kansas 
soldiers  were  in  Topeka  on  the  day  mentioned,  and 
turned  their  battle-scarred  flags  over  to  the  State, 
where  they  are  now  in  safe  keeping. 

On  the  twenty-fifth  of  July,  Congress  made  a  grant 
of  lands  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  the  Kansas  and 
Neosho  Valley  Kailroad,  and  on  the  twenty-sixth  an- 
other grant,  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  a  road  from 
Fort  Biley  to  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas.  These  roads  were 
subsequently  consolidated  and  became  the  Missouri, 
Kansas,  Texas. 

Grants  of  land  were  also  made  to  the  Atchison,  To- 
peka, and  Santa  Fe ;  the  Leavenworth,  Lawrence,  and 
Galveston;  the  Central  Branch,  and  the  Kansas  City, 


234  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

Fort  Scott,  and  Gulf  roads,  in  1863,  and  work  thereon 
was  commenced  in  1866. 

These  grants  insured  the  building  of  the  roads ;  and 
that,  in  turn,  insured  the  rapid  development  of  the 
State.  For  ten  years  Kansas  had  been  in  the  throes  of 
turmoil  and  strife,  and  the  people  were  weary  and  anx- 
ious to  settle  down  on  homestead  and  preemption 
claims,  and  grow  us  with  the  country. 

A  few  of  the  old  guard,  however,  who  had  been  play- 
ing politics  as  a  profession,  and  proclaiming  war  to  the 
knife  and  the  knife  to  the  hilt,  when  the  enemy  was  at 
a  distance,  were  still  in  the  saddle.  They  suddenly  dis- 
covered, after  the  fighting  was  all  over  and  Lee  had 
surrendered,  that  they  were  really  mad,  and  it  seemed 
for  a  while  as  though  nothing  would  restrain  them  from 
an  indiscriminate  massacre  of  what  was  left  of  the  Con- 
federate troops.  According  to  their  notion  of  warfare, 
the  soldiers  who  had  been  at  the  front,  fighting  for  four 
years,  had  failed  ignominiously  in  completing  their 
work.  "  Nary  Eebel  should  they  have  left  to  tell  the 
tale."  But  by  degrees  their  wrath  subsided;  and  the 
next  heard  of  them  was  that  the  whole  bunch  —  thir- 
teen in  all  —  were  candidates  for  Governor. 

A  new  enemy  had  appeared  on  the  political  field, 
Andrew  Johnson  was  then  President,  and  his  policy 
on  reconstruction  did  not  suit  them.  His  home  was  in 
the  South,  where  slavery  had  existed  before  the  war, 
and  while  he  had  been  a  stanch  Union  man  and  always 
opposed  to  slavery,  he  had  positive  ideas  as  to  what  the 
political  status  of  the  Freedmen  should  be. 

On  the  eighteenth  of  March,  1866,  a  Bill  entitled 
"  An  Act  to  protect  all  persons  in  the  United  States  in 
their  civil  rights,  and  furnish  the  means  of  their  vindi- 
cation," was  passed  by  Congress  and  transmitted  to 
the  President  for  his  approval.  This  bill,  among  other 
things,  declared  all  persons  of  African  descent,  born 
in  this  country,  to  be  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and 
conferred  upon  such  persons  the  right  of  suffrage.  On 


KANSAS    IN    THE    SIXTIES  —  1866  235 

the  twenty-seventh,  for  various  reasons  given,  the  Bill 
was  vetoed  by  President  Johnson;  and  on  April  9  it 
was  passed  by  Congress  over  the  veto.  This  caused  a 
breach  between  the  President  and  the  Republican 
party,  which  continued  to  widen  until  Articles  of  Im- 
peachment were  preferred  against  the  President  by  the 
House  of  Eepresentatives. 

Senator  Jas.  H.  Lane,  of  Kansas,  voted  for  this  Civil 
Eights  Bill  on  its  original  passage,  but  voted  against 
passing  it  over  the  President 's  veto,  and  that  set  Kan- 
sas on  fire  against  the  Senator.  Indignation  meetings 
were  held  in  Lawrence  and  other  important  towns, 
disapproving  of  his  vote  on  the  veto  message.  This  dis- 
approval of  his  action  in  the  Senate  brought  the  Sena- 
tor home,  where  he  hoped  to  stay  the  tide  of  public 
sentiment  that  had  set  in  against  him. 

SUICIDE  OF  SENATOB  LANE 

He  arrived  in  Lawrence  June  16,  but  was  coldly  re- 
ceived by  his  former  friends.  On  the  eighteenth  he 
made  a  speech  in  Topeka  and  endeavored  to  explain  his 
vote  and  justify  his  action.  On  the  twentieth  he  started 
back  to  Washington,  but  was  taken  sick  at  St.  Louis 
and  returned  to  Leavenworth  on  the  twenty-ninth, 
stopping  with  his  brother-in-law,  General  McCall,  near 
that  city.  On  the  first  of  July  he  shot  himself  with  a 
derringer,  and  died  on  the  eleventh.  Of  this  tragedy 
The  Leavenworth  Conservative  said : 

On  Sunday  evening  [July  1],  being  apparently  in  com- 
parative good  health  and  sound  mind,  Senator  Lane  rode  out 
with  Mr.  McCall  from  the  Farm  House.  During  the  time 
he  made  excuse  to  leave  the  carriage  several  times,  seemingly 
having  a  morbid  plan  of  self-destruction,  until,  arriving  at 
a  gate,  McCall  alighted  to  open  it.  As  the  latter  reached  the 
gate,  Senator  Lane  sprang  from  the  carriage  and,  being  then 
in  the  rear  of  it,  exclaimed  "  Good-bye,  Mac!  "  and  imme- 
diately fired  a  pistol,  the  muzzle  being  placed  in  his  mouth. 
The  ball  struck  the  roof  of  the  mouth  and  emerged  from  about 
the  upper  centre  of  the  cranium,  having  passed  through  the 


236  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

brain  and  almost  perpendicularly  through  the  head.  With 
a  convulsive  spring  into  the  air,  the  Senator  fell,  apparently 
lifeless,  to  the  earth.  The  evidently  pulseless  body  was  im- 
mediately placed  in  the  carriage  by  those  accompanying  — 
McCall  and  Capt.  Adams,  a  brother  of  Gen.  Lane's  son-in- 
law —  and  taken  to  the  house,  and  surgeons  summoned  as 
speedily  as  possible,  who  proceeded  to  make  examinations  as 
to  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  wound.  At  present  writing 
(12M.)  the  Senator  is  still  unconscious,  and  no  hopes  are  en- 
tertained of  his  recovery. 

Thus  ended  the  life  of  James  H.  Lane,  who  in  many 
ways  was  a  remarkable  man.  He  was  born  in  Law- 
renceburg,  Indiana,  June  22,  1814.  He  was  Colonel  of 
the  Third  Indiana  Infantry  in  the  Mexican  War ;  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor of  Indiana,  1849 ;  elected  to  Congress 
in  1852;  came  to  Kansas  in  1855;  participated  in  the 
early  struggles  to  make  Kansas  a  Free  State;  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  Senate  in  April,  1861,  and 
reflected  in  January,  1865.  While  yet  a  Senator  he 
came  home  from  Washington,  organized  a  brigade,  and 
made  an  expedition  to  Osceola,  Missouri.  But  being  a 
United  States  Senator,  and  having  no  right,  as  such,  to 
command  troops  in  the  field,  he  retired  from  the  army 
at  an  early  date  and  resumed  his  place  in  the  Senate. 

At  his  death  in  1866  the  duty  devolved  on  me  of  ap- 
pointing his  successor.  That,  in  turn,  caused  many 
statesmen,  in  embryo  or  otherwise,  to  stand  up  and  take 
notice.  They  all  wanted  the  appointment,  and  some  of 
the  applicants  pressed  their  claims  with  a  tenacity  of 
purpose  disgusting  in  the  extreme. 

After  carefully  considering  the  matter,  I  appointed 
Edmond  G.  Ross,  of  Lawrence,  who  was  subsequently 
elected  to  the  position  by  the  State  Legislature.  Ross, 
himself,  had  recommended  the  appointment  of  another 
man,  but  I  knew  him  to  be  an  honest,  straightforward 
soldier  of  sterling  worth  and  unflinching  courage ;  and 
on  that  account  he  was  appointed.  I  had  seen  him  on 
the  field  of  battle  amid  shot  and  shell  that  tried  men's 
souls,  and  I  knew  he  could  be  trusted. 


KANSAS    IN    THE    SIXTIES 1866  237 

The  appointment  of  Ross  was  well  received  by  the 
people  generally  and  especially  by  the  Kansas  soldiers 
who  had  served  with  him  in  the  field  and  those  who  had 
known  him  before  the  war.  At  the  time  of  his  appoint- 
ment lie  was  editor  of  The  Lawrence  Daily  Tribune, 
and  a  steadfast  Republican.  Nevertheless  his  appoint- 
ment did  not  please  all  the  "  statesmen  "  who  had  re- 
mained at  home  during  the  war  and  had  been  playing 
politics  for  their  own  personal  benefit. 

They  could  see  why  the  appointment  was  bad ;  and 
so  seeing,  they  joined  forces  with  the  mugwumps  and 
Anti-War  Democrats  and  turned  themselves  loose  on 
the  open  prairie  to  tell  the  people  what  to  do.  The 
State  administration,  in  their  estimation,  was  a  total 
failure,  and  must  be  suppressed  by  the  nomination  of 
some  one  of  themselves  for  Governor.  Otherwise,  they 
would  unite  all  opposition  and  smash  the  Republican 
party.  There  were  just  thirteen  of  these  political 
patriots,  each  one  of  whom  was  a  candidate  for  Gover- 
nor, and  most  of  whom  had  been  standing  candidates 
since  the  admission  of  the  State  into  the  Union. 

After  an  all-summer  campaign,  made  by  these  self- 
sacrificing  statesmen,  while  I  was  on  the  border  en- 
deavoring to  protect  the  frontier  settlers  against  hos- 
tile Indians  and  attending  to  the  duties  of  the  office  in 
other  parts  of  the  State,  the  delegates  to  the  State  Con- 
vention were  elected;  and  on  September  5,  1866,  the 
Convention  assembled  at  Topeka. 

BE-ELECTED  GOVERNOR 

The  Convention  was  called  to  order  by  Jacob  Stot- 
ler,  of  the  State  Central  Committee,  and  Dr.  J.  P.  Root, 
late  surgeon  of  the  Second  Kansas  Cavalry,  was  elected 
President.  It  was  composed  of  eighty-two  delegates, 
of  whom  the  thirteen  mad  warriors,  who  had  been 
snuffing  the  battle  from  afar,  had  eighteen  votes.  On 
the  first  ballot  I  received  sixty-four  votes,  and  on  the 
second  was  unanimously  nominated  for  a  second  term. 


238  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

For  a  while  some  of  the  defeated  candidates  sulked  in 
their  tents,  but  finally  came  out  and  pretended  to  sup- 
port the  ticket.  It  was  elected  November  6,  by  majori- 
ties ranging  from  9,335  to  11,580;  my  majority  being 
11,218. 

For  the  sake  of  harmony  in  the  Republican  party, 
the  Convention  allowed  two  of  the  patriots  whose  feel- 
ings had  been  lacerated  by  the  appointment  of  Ed.  Ross, 
to  be  placed  on  the  ticket ;  and  it  so  happened  that  the 
majority  at  the  polls  for  these  two  excellent  statesmen 
fell  below  that  of  all  other  candidates  on  the  ticket. 
Nevertheless  they  were  elected;  and  thereafter  the 
terms  upon  which  the  Confederate  armies  were  allowed 
to  surrender  were  not  so  bad  after  all.  At  least  we 
heard  no  more  about  a  renewal  of  the  war  and  the  ex- 
termination of  the  Rebels. 

The  election  over  and  the  wild  Indians  of  the  plains 
having  returned  to  their  winter  quarters,  the  people 
of  Kansas,  for  the  first  time  in  their  history,  felt  secure 
in  every  part  of  the  State.  Immigration  was  pouring 
in  from  the  East ;  railroads  were  ploughing  their  way 
westward,  and  new  towns  were  springing  up  in  all 
directions. 

During  the  Summer  of  1866,  John  G.  "Whittier,  the 
bachelor  poet,  came  out  to  Leavenworth  to  deliver  a 
lecture.  Before  leaving  Boston  he  expressed  a  desire 
to  meet  some  of  his  bachelor  friends  while  in  Kansas. 
Judge  Bailey  of  the  Supreme  Court,  was  both  a  bache- 
lor friend  and  an  admirer  of  the  poet,  and  hence,  anx- 
ious to  meet  him. 

As  guests  of  the  Judge,  Mr.  Holman,  a  merchant  of 
Topeka,  and  myself  accompanied  him  to  Leavenworth ; 
met  Mr.  Whittier,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  him 
recite  one  of  his  favorite  poems.  The  Poet,  being  him- 
self a  bachelor,  could  speak  from  the  record ;  and  while 
he  did  not  seem  in  haste  to  take  his  own  medicine,  he 
gave  it  to  Judge  Bailey  and  his  party  in  liberal  doses. 

In  vivid  colors  he  pictured  the  lonely  home  on  the 


KANSAS    IN    THE    SIXTIES 1866  239 

prairie,  the  author's  den  in  the  city,  the  professor  in 
college,  the  judge's  seat  on  the  bench,  and  the  chair  of 
state  —  occupied  by  bachelors.  And  yet,  what  he  said 
was  not  so  much  as  the  way  he  said  it.  We,  the  Topeka 
contingent,  knew  quite  well  that  we  were  not  doing  our 
duty,  but  being  somewhat  timid,  we  hesitated  about  en- 
listing in  the  Benedictine  army. 

A  DOUBLE   WEDDING 

However,  the  great  Poet  set  us  a-thinking,  and  ere 
long  three  bachelors  bowed  to  the  inevitable  and  sur- 
rendered at  discretion.  Mr.  Holman  and  I  had  been 
selected  by  Judge  Bailey  to  lead  the  advance,  and  he 
was  to  follow  within  supporting  distance.  For  further 
particulars  of  this  engagement  I  must  refer  the  reader 
to  a  contemporary  report,  which  appeared  in  The  To- 
peka Record,  as  follows : 

THE  DAUGHTER  OF  A  GOOD  MOTHER 

Married  —  On  Tuesday  evening,  27th  inst.,  8:30  o'clock, 
at  Grace  Church,  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  T.  H.  Vail,  assisted 
by  Revs.  Lee  and  Reynolds,  Gov.  Samuel  J.  Crawford,  and 
Miss  Isabel  M.  Chase. 

At  the  same  time  and  place,  by  the  same,  Mr.  Isaac  H. 
Holman,  and  Miss  Helen  E.  Tuttle.  All  of  Topeka. 

It  gives  us  pleasure  to  chronicle  the  above. 

Our  worthy  Governor,  and  honest  Merchant,  have  taken 
a  very  important  step  in  life  in  leading  to  the  hymeneal 
altar  two  of  the  fairest  and  purest  daughters  of  the  land. 

The  church  was  crowded.  The  ceremony  was  very  inter- 
esting and  impressive.  The  Bishop  pronounced  them  man 
and  wife,  and  then  friends  and  acquaintances  came  forward 
to  take  the  happy  parties  by  the  hand,  and  perhaps  imprint 
a  kiss  on  the  brow  of  the  new-made  wife,  and  say  those  lov- 
ing things  suitable  to  the  occasion.  A.n  hour  was  spent  thus, 
when  the  bride-grooms  took  their  departure  for  the  respective 
homes  of  the  brides,  there  to  receive  presents  and  make  ready 
for  the  intended  bridal  trip. 

At  eleven  o'clock,  p.  m.,  there  were  fifty-two  of  us  took 
a  special  car  accompanying  the  bridal-party  as  far  as  Wyan- 


240  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

dotte,  reaching  that  place  just  as  the  rosy  god  of  morn  was 
showing  the  tips  of  his  golden  wings. 

It  would  be  impossible  for  us  to  put  on  paper  the  many 
good  things  that  were  said  and  performed  by  the  bridal 
party,  Major  T.  J.  Anderson,  master  of  ceremonies,  being  as- 
sisted by  Gen.  John  Ritchie,  Col.  Lawrence,  J.  W.  Steele, 
Esq.,  John  Fletcher,  S.  B.  Remington,  C.  C.  Kellam,  and  in 
fact  by  the  entire  party. 

Gov.  Crawford  expressed  himself  to  the  effect,  that  he 
was  glad  it  was  over;  having  reference,  we  presume,  to  the 
"  ceremony  "  that  bound  him  to  the  woman  of  his  choice. 

Time  passed  swiftly.  Songs  and  merriment,  with  now 
and  then  a  basket  of  cake,  or  a  glass  of  ' '  native, ' '  around  the 
circle,  and  all  was  enjoyment. 

Cakes,  nuts,  fruit,  candies,  and  "  native  "  were  stored  in 
abundance  in  the  rear  end  of  the  coach,  and  the  waiters  were 
busy  from  the  time  we  stepped  in  at  Topeka  until  we  stepped 
out  at  "Wyandotte. 

If,  perchance,  some  unlucky  individual  happened  to  close 
their  eyes,  ' '  tickets !  ' '  would  ring  in  their  ears. 

Woman  was  there: 

"Whose  form  and  whose  soul 

Are  the  spell  and  the  light  of  each  path  we  pursue: 
Whether  sunn'd  in  the  Tropics  or  chilled  at  the  Pole, 
If  Woman  be  there,  there  is  happiness  too." 

And  without  the  presence  of  woman,  the  affair  would 
have  been  tame,  indeed. 

Judge  Bailey  was  there,  too,  and  his  presence  and  counsel 
contributed  much  to  the  general  mirthfulness  and  joyous- 
ness  of  the  occasion. 

At  Wyandotte  we  took  breakfast,  gave  a  look  around  the 
town,  and  were  visited  by  ex-Governor  J.  P.  Root,  and  W.  W. 
Wright,  General  Superintendent  of  the  Union  Pacific  Rail- 
way, E.  D.  These  gentlemen  seemed  well  pleased,  and  ex- 
erted themselves  to  please.  Gov.  Root  is  one  of  Topeka 's 
oldest  and  warmest  friends.  Mr.  Wright  is  much  of  a  gen- 
tlemen, and  it  is  said  that  he  has  no  superior  as  a  successful 
railroad-man. 

After  breakfast  we  escorted  the  bridal  party  to  the  de- 
pot, and  after  affectionate  leave-takings,  took  the  return 
train  for  Topeka. 


KANSAS    IN    THE    SIXTIES  —  1866  241 

Although  there  was  not  as  much  vivacity  exhibited  on  the 
return  trip,  yet  there  was  a  fund  of  enjoyment,  and  luck- 
less he  or  she  who  cared  not  to  participate.  We  owe  a  num- 
ber of  good  ones,  in  return  for  several  already  received,  and 
they  will  be  paid  in  due  season,  with  interest  compounded. 

The  wedded  parties  were  happy,  and  took  the  sallies  of 
their  friends  with  the  best  of  humor. 

The  following  named  persons  composed  the  outfit. 
Others  were  invited  but  failed  to  come  to  time. 

Gov.  Samuel  J.  Crawford  and  wife;  Isaac  H.  Holrnan 
and  wife;  T.  J.  Anderson  and  wife;  Col.  Ritchie  and  wife; 
Col.  Lawrence  and  wife ;  Col.  Veale ;  Judge  Safford  and  wife ; 
J.  F.  Cummings  and  wife;  Dr.  Martin  and  wife;  C.  C.  Kel- 
lam  and  wife ;  B.  P.  Kellam  and  wife ;  Fielding  Johnson  and 
wife ;  Mr.  Sheldon  and  wife ;  S.  R.  Remington  and  wife ;  Col. 
Rankin  and  wife;  and  Judge  Miller,  of  Lawrence,  and  Miss 
Montgomery,  Miss  Case,  Misses  Otis,  Mrs.  Elmore,  Mrs. 
Munro,  Miss  Ward,  Miss  Butterfield,  Miss  Elmore,  Miss 
Fitzgerald,  Miss  Torrey,  Dr.  Kennedy  and  sister;  and  Jake 
Smith,  G.  W.  Anderson,  J.  W.  Steele,  Jno.  Fletcher,  Mr. 
Newson,  Mr.  Lakin,  Geo.  Chase.  We  may  have  missed  the 
names  of  some  of  the  party,  and  if  so,  shall  be  pleased  if  we 
are  corrected. 

There  were  no  accidents,  and  it  seemed  to  us  that  the 
party  could  not  have  been  better  chosen  for  enjoyment.  And 
we  only  hope  that  we  may  be  successful  in  getting  an  in- 
vitation to  the  next,  even  if  the  joyousness  were  cut  down 
one-half.  Who  comes  next?  Let  the  good  work  go  on  until 
not  one  is  left  to  tell  of  single  blessedness. 

The  following  account  is  from  The  Topeka  Ledger: 
THE  DOUBLE  WEDDING 

For  once  rumor  proved  correct.  It  had  been  whispered 
around  town  for  several  days  that  there  would  be  two  couple 
married  in  the  Episcopal  Church  Tuesday  evening,  Nov.  27. 
At  early  candle  light  last  evening  the  church  was  lighted, 
and  soon  crowds  began  to  gather.  The  time  for  the  ceremony 
was  8  P.  M.,  but  the  house  was  as  full  as  it  could  hold  at 
least  an  hour  previous  to  that  time.  Nearly  all  the  ladies 
secured  seats,  but  the  gentlemen  were  obliged  to  stand.  The 


242  KANSAS  IN   f HE   SIXTIES 

aisles,  windows,  and  galleries  were  packed.  Every  inch  of 
standing-room  had  been  used.  At  ten  minutes  past  eight, 
Samuel  J.  Crawford,  Governor  of  Kansas,  and  Isabel  M. 
Chase,  daughter  of  Enoch  Chase,  Esq.,  of  this  city,  came  into 
the  church,  together  with  Isaac  H.  Holman  and  Miss  Helen 
Tuttle.  Both  couples  at  once  proceeded  to  the  altar,  and 
were  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  wedlock.  Bishop  Vail  of 
the  Diocese  of  Kansas,  was  the  officiating  clergyman,  assisted 
by  Kev.  J.  N.  Lee  of  Grace  Church  and  Rev.  Mr.  Reynolds  of 
Ft.  Riley. 

The  brides  were  dressed  precisely  alike,  being  dressed  in 
very  rich  white  silk,  with  long  lace  veils  extending  nearly  to 
the  feet  and  adjusted  to  the  head  with  a  bridal  wreath  of 
orange  blossoms.  They  wore  no  ornaments,  but  their  appear- 
ance was  neat,  chaste,  and  very  becoming.  After  receiving 
congratulations  from  friends,  the  wedding  party,  with  fifty 
or  sixty  invited  guests  started  for  Wyandotte  in  a  car  kindly 
ordered  by  the  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co.  The  party,  except  the  newly 
married  couples,  are  to  return  to-day.  Gov.  Crawford  and 
Mr.  Holman,  with  their  ladies,  are  going  to  Saint  Louis,  to 
be  absent  about  a  week.  The  bride  of  the  Governor  has 
lived  in  this  city  since  1855,  her  father  being  one  of  the  first 
party  who  settled  Topeka.  She  is  known  and  beloved  by  all 
of  our  old  citizens.  She  is  popular  with  old  and  young.  Mr. 
Holman  is  a  merchant  in  Topeka,  where  he  has  lived  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  bears  an  excellent  reputation.  Miss 
Tuttle  was  formerly  from  Buffalo,  New  York,  but  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  has  been  a  member  of  Col.  Veale  's  family.  She, 
too,  has  many  warm  friends  here,  having  endeared  herself  to 
a  large  circle  of  acquaintances. 

Following  in  the  wake  of  this  memorable  event, 
Judge  Bailey,  true  to  his  promise,  came  under  the  yoke 
and  completed  the  triple  alliance.  Whatever  the  effect 
on  Holman  and  myself  may  have  been,  one  thing  is  cer- 
tain —  a  noticeable  improvement  was  thereafter  plainly 
visible  in  the  methods,  habits,  and  customs  of  the 
Judge.  He  was  always  a  grand  good  man,  but  when 
brought  under  a  proper  state  of  discipline,  he  was  one 
of  the  very  best. 

And  so  it  is  with  many  old  bachelors  of  the  present 


GEN.  AND  MRS.  SAMUEL  J.  CRAWFORD 

(Gen.  Crawford  at  32  years  of  age) 


KANSAS    IN    THE    SIXTIES 1866  243 

day.  What  they  ought  to  do  most  of  all  things,  is  to 
select  good  and  true  partners  for  life  and  live  as  God 
intended.  Every  man  of  proper  age  should  have  a 
home  of  his  own.  It  would  be  best  for  him  and  better 
for  the  young  ladies  who  are  now  struggling  to  support 
themselves.  There  is  no  place  like  home,  and  especially 
should  this  be  true  of  young  ladies  of  marriageable  age. 

That  they  can  for  a  while  support  themselves  and 
do  certain  kinds  of  work  as  well,  if  not  better,  than  the 
men,  no  one  will  dispute.  But  that  is  not  the  question 
and  should  not  enter  into  the  equation.  Everybody 
knows  that  the  end  of  such  a  life  is  bitter ;  and  yet  the 
good  people,  as  a  rule,  are  doing,  unwittingly,  every- 
thing they  can  to  encourage  it.  Their  policy  tends  to 
entice  and  wean  young  girls  from  home  and  then  fit 
them  for  work  that  young  men  could  do ;  while  the  girls 
should  be  perfecting  themselves  under  their  mother's 
care  for  domestic  duties,  preparatory  to  getting 
married. 

A  neat  comfortable  home  and  pleasant  family  should 
be  the  object  of  all  the  young  people.  That  was  the 
prevailing  sentiment  in  Kansas  at  the  close  of  the  Civil 
War  and  for  many  years  thereafter,  and  as  a  result,  we 
now  have  a  State  peopled  with  good  American  citizens 
of  sterling  worth. 

STATE  UNIVERSITY 

On  the  twelfth  of  September,  1866,  the  first  session 
of  the  State  University  opened  with  three  professors 
and  forty  students.  The  Board  of  Regents  consisted  of 
Charles  Robinson,  J.  D.  Liggett,  W.  A.  Starrett,  T.  C. 
Sears,  J.  S.  Emery,  D.  P.  Mitchell,  S.  0.  Thacher,  C.  B. 
Lines,  J.  L.  Wever,  E.  M.  Bartholow,  G.  W.  Paddock, 
and  C.  K.  Holliday. 

STATE  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

This  all-important  institution,  having  been  endowed 
by  Congress  with  a  grant  of  ninety  thousand  acres  of 


244  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

land,  and  permanently  located  by  an  Act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, approved  February  16,  1863,  was  in  due  time 
opened  under  the  auspices  of  the  State. 

The  new  State  Board  of  Regents  consisted  of  Judge 
L.  D.  Bailey,  S.  D.  Houston,  J.  G.  Reaser,  John  Pipher, 
T.  H.  Baker,  W.  L.  Woodworth,  R.  Cordley,  E.  Gale, 
and  D.  Earhart.  In  the  fall  of  1866  the  College  opened 
with  a  suitable  corps  of  professors  and  one  hundred 
and  fifty  students. 

Meantime  work  on  the  new  State  Normal  School 
building  and  other  State  buildings  was  rapidly 
progressing. 

Thus  the  first  term  of  my  administration  glided  by 
and  on  into  the  new  year,  with  fair,  if  not  flattering 
prospects,  for  the  future  of  our  proud  young  com- 
monwealth. 


CHAPTER  XVHI 

SECOND  TERM 

IMPORTANT  LAWS PROTECTION  FOR  THE  FRONTIER  —  HOS- 
TILE INDIANS. 

THE  year  1867  opened  brightly.  On  the  first  of  Jan- 
uary the  new  Normal  School  building  at  Emporia, 
having  been  erected  by  the  State,  was  dedicated  to  the 
higher  education  of  the  youth  of  Kansas.  This  splen- 
didly equipped  institution,  upon  which  depends  largely 
the  efficiency  of  our  public  schools,  shows  to  some  ex- 
tent the  wisdom  of  those  who  laid  the  foundation  for 
our  educational  system. 

On  the  eighth  of  January  the  Legislature  assembled, 
organized,  and  notified  the  Governor  that  the  two 
Houses  were  ready  for  business.* 

This  Legislature,  although  somewhat  disturbed  at 
the  beginning,  by  reason  of  having  two  United  States 
Senators  to  elect,  settled  down  to  steady  work  at  an 
early  date.  On  the  twenty-third  of  January  the  Sena- 
tors were  elected  —  the  Hon.  S.  C.  Pomeroy  for  six 
years,  and  the  Hon.  E.  G.  Boss  for  four  years.  I  had 
previously  appointed  Ross  as  Senator  Lane's  successor, 
and  as  a  matter  of  course  was  gratified  to  have  the  ap- 
pointment ratified  by  the  Legislature. 

IMPORTANT  LAWS 

During  the  session  many  important  laws  were  en- 
acted, among  which  were  the  following: 

An  act  to  define  the  boundaries  of  Cowley,  McPher- 
son,  Sedgwick,  Sumner,  Jewell,  Mitchell,  Lincoln,  Ells- 

*See  Appendix. 

245 


246  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

worth,  Rice,  Reno,  Harper,  Smith,  Osborn,  Russell, 
Barton,  Stafford,  Pratt,  Barbour,  Phillips,  Rooks, 
Ellis,  Rush,  Pawnee,  Kiowa,  Comanche,  Norton,  Gra- 
ham, Trego,  Ness,  Hodgeman,  Ford,  and  Clark 
Counties. 

An  act  changing  the  boundaries  of  Cherokee,  Craw- 
ford, Neosho,  Labette,  Wilson,  Butler,  Marion,  Dick- 
inson, Howard,  Greenwood,  and  Montgomery  Counties. 

An  act  ratifying  the  XIV  Amendment  to  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States. 

An  act  establishing  the  Blind  Asylum  at  Wyandotte. 

An  act  to  aid  Kansas  State  Agricultural  College. 

An  act  relating  to  the  State  Capitol  Building. 

An  act  to  provide  for  building  bridges. 

An  act  to  establish  the  Sixth,  Seventh,  Eighth,  and 
Ninth  Judicial  Districts  of  the  State  of  Kansas. 

An  act  relating  to  the  revision  of  the  laws. 

An  act  to  prohibit  the  selling  of  intoxicating  liquors 
in  the  unorganized  counties  of  the  State  of  Kansas. 
And  many  other  acts  of  importance  to  the  State. 

On  the  fifteenth  of  January,  1867,  the  oath  of  office 
was  administered  to  the  new  State  officers  by  the  Hon. 
S.  A.  Kingman,  Chief  Justice  of  the  State  Supreme 
Court. 

With  the  new  administration  came  a  number  of 
changes  in  the  Field  and  Staff  of  the  Governor.  Col- 
onel T.  J.  Anderson,  Adjutant  General,  having  com- 
pleted the  record  of  Kansas  troops  in  the  Civil  War, 
resigned,  to  engage  in  other  work.  Colonel  D.  E.  Bal- 
lard,  Quartermaster  General,  resigned,  to  accept  a  posi- 
tion as  one  of  the  Commissioners  to  audit  and  correct 
the  Price  Raid  Claims.  Colonel  W.  F.  Cloud,  resigned, 
to  engage  in  business  at  Carthage,  Missouri. 

To  fill  these  several  vacancies,  the  following  gentle- 
men were  appointed,  namely : 

J.  B.  McAfee,  Adjutant-General. 

J.  G.  Haskell,  Quartermaster  General. 

Harrison  Kelley,  Major  General. 


SECOND  TERM  247 

Cyrus  Leland,  Brigadier-General,  vice  Kelley  promoted. 
Ward  Burlingame,  Private  Sec.,  vice  McAfee  transferred. 

On  the  seventeenth  of  January,  1867,  General  W. 
W.  Wright,  Superintendent  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  Rail- 
road, reported  to  the  Governor  that  the  work  on  that 
road  was  commenced  at  Wyandotte  in  August,  1863; 
forty  miles  was  completed  in  1864;  one  hundred  and 
ten  miles,  in  1865-66,  with  the  track  then  laid  to  a  point 
twenty  miles  west  of  Fort  Biley.  He  also  stated  that 
Shoemaker,  Miller  &  Co.  were  to  complete  the  road  to 
the  two  hundred  and  eighty-fifth  mile-post  during  the 
year. 

On  the  ninth  of  February  the  Legislature  appointed 
a  Committee  to  investigate  the  Senatorial  election. 
After  a  careful  investigation  the  Committee  concluded 
their  report  as  follows : 

And  while  this  testimony  is  not  sufficient  of  itself  to  au- 
thorize your  Committee  to  make  a  special  recommendation 
for  definite  action  on  the  part  of  the  Senate,  they  here  record 
their  conviction  that  money  has  been  used  for  the  base 
purposes  of  influencing  members  of  the  Legislature  to  dis- 
regard the  wishes  of  their  constituents,  and  to  vote  as  money 
dictated;  and  regret  their  failure  to  procure  the  evidence 
necessary  to  demonstrate  the  facts  to  the  people  of  the  States. 

After  the  Senatorial  election  the  work  of  the  Legis- 
lature moved  along  smoothly  until  the  Bill  for  defining 
the  boundaries  of  certain  counties  and  establishing  new 
counties  in  Central  Kansas  was  introduced.  Then  a 
war  to  the  knife  began.  This  bill,  of  itself,  was  right 
and  necessary,  as  all  the  members  knew. 

The  counties  along  our  southern  border  from  Cher- 
okee to  the  Arkansas  River  were  twenty-five  by  fifty 
miles  in  breadth  and  length,  and  the  occupants  wanted 
them  cut  in  halves,  and  counties  of  the  usual  size  cre- 
ated. The  country  west  of  Marion  and  Saline  Counties, 
extending  across  the  State  and  westward,  was  unor- 
ganized and  beyond  the  reach  of  our  civil  authorities. 


248  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

It  was  a  rendezvous  for  thieves,  robbers,  and  roving 
bands  of  Indians.  Eanchmen  were  there  with  herds  of 
taxable  property;  and  traders,  whose  principal  busi- 
ness was  to  supply  hostile  Indians  and  outlaws  gener- 
ally with  arms,  ammunition,  and  bad  whiskey. 

To  reach  these  knights  of  the  plains  and  bring  them 
within  reach  of  the  law,  I  prepared,  and  had  intro- 
duced in  the  House  of  Eepresentatives,  a  Bill  establish- 
ing and  defining  the  boundaries  of  some  thirty-six  new 
counties,  and  attaching  them  to  organized  counties 
along  the  western  border  for  judicial  purposes. 

While  this  all-important  Bill  was  pending  before  the 
Legislature,  a  Committee  of  five  of  the  leading  citizens 
of  Leavenworth  came  to  Topeka  and  had  introduced 
in  the  Senate  a  Bill  authorizing  the  State  to  endorse 
and  guarantee  the  payment  of  the  interest  on  five  mil- 
lion dollars  of  the  bonds  of  Leavenworth  City,  to  be  is- 
sued for  internal  improvement  purposes. 

Soon  after  their  arrival,  the  Committee  submitted 
their  proposition  to  me  and  asked  for  help.  After  lis- 
tening to  their  arguments,  I  called  attention  to  a  clause 
in  our  Constitution  which  says : ' '  The  State  shall  never 
be  a  party  in  carrying  on  any  works  of  internal  im- 
provements." To  this  they  replied  with  the  usual 
argument,  that  *  *  the  State,  of  course,  would  never  have 
to  pay  anything,"  and  that  they  were  going  to  make 
the  effort  at  any  rate.  I  told  them  that  they  could  use 
their  own  judgment,  but  that  they  must  figure  from  the 
beginning  on  a  two-thirds  vote  in  the  Legislature  be- 
cause I  would  veto  their  Bill  if  it  should  be  presented 
to  me. 

In  some  way  these  gentlemen,  who  seemed  to  think 
the  Legislature  could  override  the  Constitution,  dis- 
covered that  the  State  authorities  were  exceedingly 
anxious  to  have  the  new  County  Bill  enacted  into  a  law, 
and  immediately  they  set  about  to  defeat  that  Bill  or 
else  force  its  friends  to  support  their  wildcat  scheme 
but  in  this  they  reckoned  without  their  host.  The 


SECOND  TERM  249 

County  Bill  was  passed,  and  their  pet  measure  went 
the  way  of  all  bad  bills  in  that  Legislature.  The  de- 
feat of  that  audacious  raid  on  our  Constitution  saved 
the  State  from  bankruptcy,  and  the  Legislature  from 
disgrace. 

On  the  twenty-sixth  of  February,  in  pursuance  of 
law,  I  appointed  S.  A.  Riggs,  James  McCahon,  and 
John  M.  Price  as  Commissioners  to  codify  the  laws  of 
the  State. 

On  the  third  of  March  the  Legislature,  having  com- 
pleted its  work,  adjourned  sine  die,  and  the  brave  boys 
who  had  stood  resolutely  in  defence  of  the  Constitution 
and  fought  manfully  for  such  legislation  as  they  be- 
lieved to  be  essential,  returned  to  their  respective 
homes  conscious  of  having  done  their  duty. 

That  Legislature,  having  created  four  new  Judicial 
Districts,  I  immediately  thereafter  appointed  as  Judges 
of  the  Courts  so  created : 

D.  P.  Lowe,  of  Linn  County,  Sixth  District. 

Wm.  Spriggs,  of  Anderson  County,  Seventh  District. 

Jas.  Humphrey,  of  Riley  County,  Eighth  District. 

S.  N.  Wood,  of  Chase  County,  Ninth  District. 

Soon  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Legislature,  I 
proceeded  to  New  York  and  disposed  of  State  bonds 
which  had  been  authorized  to  aid  in  pushing  forward 
the  work  on  our  new  State  Capitol  and  other  public 
buildings.  This  duty  having  been  performed,  I  went 
over  to  Washington  to  arrange  with  the  Secretary  of 
War  and  the  General  of  the  Army  for  the  protection 
of  our  frontier  settlements,  overland  travel,  and  trans- 
portation to  the  West,  and  working  parties  engaged  in 
the  construction  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  E.  D. 
(subsequently  designated  as  the  Kansas  Pacific),  then 
pushing  its  way  across  the  plains  westward. 

PKOTECTION  FOB  THE  FRONTIER 

On  arriving  at  Washington  I  found  the  War  De- 
partment and  General  Grant  —  that  matchless  soldier 


250  KANSAS   IN    THE   SIXTIES 

who  extended  the  right  hand  of  peace  to  the  fallen  foe 
at  Appomattox  —  ready  and  anxious  to  suppress  the 
hostile  Indians  and  insure  a  lasting  peace  on  our  fron- 
tier. They  already  had  General  Hancock,  with  such 
regular  troops  as  could  be  spared,  in  the  field  near 
Fort  Dodge,  Kansas,  to  intercept  the  Indians  moving 
northward  from  their  winter  haunts. 

After  completing  arrangements  for  cooperating 
with  the  War  Department  and  General  Grant  to  the 
fullest  extent,  I  called  on  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,, 
whose  Department  had  charge  of  Indian  affairs,  gen- 
erally. I  found  the  Secretary  unadvised,  if  not  indif- 
ferent, to  everything  pertaining  to  the  wild,  hostile 
tribes.  He  assumed  to  know  all  about  them  and  politely 
informed  me  that  if  there  should  be  any  trouble,  he 
would  attend  to  the  matter  at  the  proper  time. 

I  told  him  in  language  not  to  be  misunderstood,  that 
the  proper  time  was  then;  that  the  Cheyennes,  Arapa- 
hoes,  Apaches,  Kiowas,  and  Comanches  were  already 
in  Kansas,  committing  depredations,  and  that  General 
Hancock  was  at  that  time  (April,  1867)  in  the  field  with 
his  troops  scattered  along  the  Arkansas  Valley,  en- 
deavoring to  hold  them  back. 

I  also  told  him  that  his  U.  S.  agents  and  licensed 
traders  had  supplied  these  hostile  Indians  with  food 
and  clothing  during  the  past  Winter,  and  with  arms  and 
ammunition  to  be  used  against  the  frontier  people  of 
Kansas  during  the  Spring  and  Summer.  I  further  told 
him  that  the  Government,  through  these  vile  creatures, 
had  been  doing  the  same  thing  for  three  years  and 
more ;  and  that  I  thought  it  was  about  time  to  let  up  on 
that  particular  humanitarian  policy  of  the  Interior 
Department. 

Gradually  the  Secretary  began  to  take  notice,  and 
finally  agreed  that  no  more  arms  or  ammunition  should 
be  issued  to  the  wild  tribes,  while  they  were  on  the  war- 
path. But  his  promise  was  broken  almost  before  I 
reached  Kansas. 


SECOND  TERM  251 

Early  in  the  Spring,  bands  of  these  Indians  broke 
through  Hancock's  lines  on  the  Arkansas  Eiver  and 
moved  north  to  the  Smoky  Hill,  Solomon,  and  Repub- 
lican valleys,  where  they  committed  atrocities  and  out- 
rages most  brutal  and  barbarous.  While  they  were 
thus  dodging  the  U.  S.  troops  and  ravaging  the  frontier 
settlements  and  commerce  of  the  plains,  a  vast  amount 
of  Indian  supplies,  including  arms  and  ammunition, 
was  shipped  to  Atchison,  Kansas,  under  contract  with 
the  Indian  Office  at  Washington,  and  loaded  into  wag- 
ons and  started  to  the  Southwest,  to  be  issued  to  the 
Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes,  who  were  known  to  be  on 
the  war-path. 

The  day  the  train  (twelve  loaded  wagons)  crossed 
the  Kansas  River  at  Lawrence,  I  was  notified,  and  also 
informed  of  the  arms  and  ammunition  it  contained.  Im- 
mediately upon  receipt  of  this  information,  I  tele- 
graphed General  Sherman  at  St.  Louis,  and  told  him 
that  if  he  did  not  take  possession  of  the  train  and  pre- 
vent the  issuing  of  the  arms,  ammunition,  blankets,  and 
other  supplies  to  the  squaws  and  Indians  in  camp, 
whose  tribes  were  then  committing  depredations  in 
Kansas,  I  would  burn  the  whole  outfit  before  they 
reached  their  destination.  General  Sherman  imme- 
diately sent  a  cavalry  troop  from  Fort  Riley,  which  cap- 
tured and  conveyed  the  train  and  supplies  to  Fort 
Lamed,  where  they  were  held  under  guard  until  a 
treaty  was  made  with  the  Indians  late  in  the  fall  of  that 
year. 

HOSTILE  INDIANS 

When  I  returned  from  Washington,  in  April,  1867, 
General  Hancock  was  in  the  field  with  a  handful  of  U. 
S.  troops,  and  the  plains  of  Kansas  were  swarming  with 
bloodthirsty  Indians.  Early  in  the  Spring,  as  had  been 
anticipated,  the  Indians  began  to  concentrate  their 
forces  for  the  purpose  of  a  general  war  against  the 
whites,  and  also  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  con- 


252  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

stniction  of  the  Pacific  railroads.  Having  received 
such  information,  I  immediately  notified  Generals  Sher- 
man and  Hancock  of  the  same.  In  reply,  I  received  the 
following  communication  from  General  Hancock: 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OP  THE  MISSOURI, 

IN  THE  FIELD,  NEAR  FORT  DODGE,  KANSAS, 

April  37,  1867. 
GOVERNOR  S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 
Topeka,  Kansas: 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
communication,  forwarding  the  letter  from  Mr.  E.  D. 
Straight,  dated  Marion  Centre,  March  22d,  1867;  also  a 
former  petition  of  some  citizens  of  southwest  Kansas,  asking 
for  protection  from  the  Indians  of  the  plains.  You  would 
have  received  a  reply  from  me  before  this  time  on  this  sub- 
ject, but  that  the  papers  above  referred  to  were  prevented 
from  reaching  me  sooner  on  account  of  my  having  been 
constantly  moving  since  the  25th  of  March. 

I  have  recently  stationed  a  company  of  cavalry  at  Fort 
Larned,  with  instructions  to  patrol  the  country  in  that  vi- 
cinity ;  and  about  the  first  of  May  will  have  another  company 
of  cavalry  stationed  on  the  Little  Arkansas,  to  patrol  the  line 
of  that  stream  for  the  security  of  that  region  of  country. 
With  the  troops  I  have  at  my  disposal  at  present,  this  is 
about  all  I  can  accomplish  in  this  matter,  and  I  trust  it 
may  be  sufficient.  Other  movements  of  troops  that  are  now 
taking  place  against  the  Sioux  and  Cheyennes  between 
the  Arkansas  and  Platte,  will,  no  doubt,  assist  in  keeping 
the  Indians  of  the  plains  quiet,  and  prevent  incursions  into 
the  settlements. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

WINFIELD  S.  HANCOCK, 
Major  General  U.  S.  A.,  Commanding. 

In  addition  to  the  above  letter  I  received  also  a  copy 
of  an  order  detailing  two  companies  to  be  stationed  on 
the  northwestern  frontier,  with  instructions  to  patrol 
the  country  across  from  the  Republican  to  the  Solomon 
and  Saline  Rivers;  and  soon  thereafter  I  received  in- 
formation from  the  General,  saying  that  another  com- 


SECOND  TERM  253 

pany  had  been  stationed  in  the  southwest,  with  instruc- 
tions to  protect  and  guard  that  portion  of  the  State. 

These  companies,  together  with  all  other  troops  on 
duty  in  this  department,  did  everything  in  their  power 
to  prevent  Indian  depredations ;  but  having  a  border  of 
two  hundred  miles  in  length,  the  public  thoroughfares 
from  Kansas  west,  and  the  working  parties  on  the  Pa- 
cific Kailroad,  to  protect,  they  were  inadequate  to  a 
work  of  such  magnitude. 

Portions  of  five  tribes  of  hostile  Indians  —  allied 
for  purposes  of  war  and  crime,  thoroughly  organized, 
armed,  and  equipped,  and  regularly  receiving  their  an- 
nuities and  other  supplies  from  the  Government,  under 
treaty  stipulations  —  constituted  the  main  force  which 
was  operating  with  such  deadly  effect  in  Western 
Kansas. 

The  hostile  Indians,  having  succeeded  in  murdering 
and  scalping  many  men,  women,  and  children,  and  cap- 
turing or  destroying  property  to  the  value  of  millions 
of  dollars,  and  in  also  completely  blockading  the  routes 
of  travel  (except  when  opened  by  military  escort)  from 
Kansas  to  the  mineral  States  and  Territories  west ;  and 
believing,  as  they  had  reason  to  believe,  that  they  would 
be  sustained  by  the  continued  leniency  of  the  Govern- 
ment, became  so  emboldened  as  seriously  to  threaten 
the  destruction  of  our  entire  western  border. 

On  the  eighth  of  May  I  received  a  despatch  from 
the  frontier  as  follows : 

Gov.  S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Topeka,  Kansas: 

We,  the  undersigned  citizens  of  the  frontier,  appeal  to 
you  in  behalf  of  our  families,  who  are  in  danger  of  being 
killed  by  the  Indians. 

On  yesterday,  a  war  party  struck  the  settlements  in 
White  Hock  Valley,  and  killed  two  men  and  one  woman,  and 
wounded  one  boy,  who  escaped  to  tell  the  sad  story.  Others 
are  missing;  supposed  to  be  captured  or  killed.  Many  fam- 
ilies are  leaving  their  homes,  and  cannot  return  unless  they 


254  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

have  protection.     We  appeal  to  you  for  help  and  protection 

against  these  merciless  savages. 

(Signed)         GEO.  W.  GLOVER, 
WM.  NYE, 
0.    HUNTRESS, 
and  thirty-six  others. 

The  above  was  endorsed  as  follows : 

CLAY  CENTER,  May  8. 

If  you  can  do  anything,  do  it  promptly,  that  the  settlers 
may  return  to  their  homes,  and  save  their  stock  and  other 
property. 

N.  GREEN, 
Lieutenant-Governor. 

Soon  after  the  receipt  of  this  despatch,  petitions 
numerously  signed  were  received  from  the  citizens  of 
the  Republican,  Solomon,  and  Smoky  Hill  Valleys,  and 
from  Marion,  Butler,  and  Greenwood  Counties,  detail- 
ing murders  and  robberies  committed  by  the  Indians 
all  along  the  border,  and  asking  for  military  protection. 
In  response  to  these  and  many  other  letters,  despatches, 
and  petitions  of  similar  import,  received  at  the  execu- 
tive office  almost  daily,  I  ordered  small  detachments  of 
militia  to  the  most  exposed  localities.  But  it  was  found 
impossible  to  afford  protection  without  calling  out  a 
battalion  of  State  troops. 

While  the  State  authorities  were  thus  engaged  in 
an  effort  to  restore  quiet  and  protect  the  frontier  set- 
tlements, the  United  States  officers  on  duy  in  the  de- 
partment were  equally  active,  although  the  limited  num- 
ber of  troops  at  their  disposal  was  wholly  inadequate 
to  prevent  the  frontier  settlements  from  being  rolled 
back,  and  the  lines  of  overland  travel  abandoned. 

This  situation  grew  rapidly  worse  until  June,  cul- 
minating in  a  simultaneous  attack  by  the  Cheyennes, 
Arapahoes,  and  Kiowas,  upon  the  settlers  in  the  Re- 
publican, White  Rock,  Solomon,  and  Smoky  Hill  Val- 
leys, and  upon  the  grading  and  engineering  parties  on 


SECOND   TERM  255 

the  Kansas  Pacific  Railroad,  west  of  Fort  Harker,  as 
shown  by  the  following  despatches : 

JUNCTION  CITY,  KAS.,  June  21,  1867. 
GOVERNOR  CRAWFORD: 

Thos.  Parks,  one  of  our  principal  contractors,  and  three 
other  men,  were  killed  by  Indians  on  Tuesday.  Gen.  Smith 
says  we  have  all  the  protection  he  can  give.  Can  you  not 
give  us  a  regiment  of  infantry  militia  at  once,  to  protect 
our  working  parties  and  the  frontier  settlements? 

R.  M.  SHOEMAKER, 
General  Supt.  U.  P.  R.  R.,  E.  D. 

On  the  twenty-fourth  of  June,  the  following  was 
received : 

LEAVENWORTH,  KANSAS,  June  24,  1867. 
HON.  S.  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor  of  Kansas: 

I  have  just  returned  from  Fort  Wallace,  over  the  line  of 
the  U.  P.  R.  R.,  E.  D.  The  Indians  along  the  whole  line  are 
engaged  in  their  savage  warfare.  On  Saturday,  three  more 
of  our  men  were  killed  and  scalped.  Our  laborers,  one  thou- 
sand or  more,  have  been  driven  in.  Unarmed  men  cannot  be 
expected  to  expose  themselves  to  these  savages.  General  Han- 
cock is  away  west  of  Fort  Wallace,  so  I  cannot  apply  to  him, 
and  I  do  not  know  where  a  despatch  will  reach  General  Sher- 
man. In  this  emergency,  I  do  not  know  to  whom  else  to  ap- 
peal but  to  you.  What  can  be  done  to  put  an  end  to  these 
atrocities  ? 

JOHN  D.  PERRY, 
President  U.  P.  R.  R.  Co.,  E.  D. 

On  the  same  day,  the  above  despatch,  together  with 
the  following,  was  transmitted  to  the  Secretary  of  War : 

TOPEKA,  KANSAS,  June  24.  1867. 
HON.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War, 

Washington,  D.  C. : 

I  send  you  a  copy  of  despatch  from  John  D.  Perry,  Pres- 
ident of  the  Union  Pacific  Railway  Co.,  E.  D.,  just  received. 
This  road,  west  of  Fort  Harker,  the  routes  of  travel  across 
the  plains,  together  with  our  frontier  settlements,  will  all 
have  to  be  abandoned,  if  prompt  and  decisive  measures  are 
not  adopted.  I  can,  within  a  short  time,  furnish  the  Gov- 


256  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

eminent  with  a  sufficient  force  to  put  an  end  to  frontier  de- 
predations.   Do  you  desire  aid? 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Governor. 

To  this  the  Secretary  replied: 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June  27, 1867. 
Gov.  S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Topeka : 

Your  despatch  has  been  referred  to  General  Grant,  for 
his  action.  Lieut.-General  Sherman  commander  of  the  mil- 
itary division  of  the  Missouri,  has  immediate  charge  of 
military  operations  against  the  Indians,  with  authority  to 
furnish  all  necessary  supplies,  and,  upon  your  requisition, 
will  furnish  arms,  ammunition,  and  whatever  is  necessary. 

E.  M.  ST ANTON, 
Secretary  of  War. 

On  the  twenty-fourth  of  June  I  received  the  follow- 
ing despatch : 

Our  locating  party,  under  Colonel  Greenwood,  was  at- 
tacked hy  Indians,  west  of  Monument  Station,  Saturday 
morning.  The  Indians  fought  four  hours  for  the  possession 
of  the  camp,  but  were  finally  repulsed.  Our  men  killed  two 
Indians,  but  lost  their  stock. 

R.  M.  SHOEMAKER. 

Later,  on  the  same  day,  the  following  was  received : 

GOVERNOR  CRAWFORD: 

The  Indians  have  killed  two  more  of  our  men,  near  Bun- 
ker Hill  Station,  and  driven  the  workmen  all  off  the  line. 
Please  send  us  arms  and  ammunition.  Unless  you  send  us 
protection,  our  work  must  be  abandoned. 

R.  M.  SHOEMAKER. 

On  receipt  of  -the  above,  I  immediately  telegraphed 
commanding  officer  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  as  follows : 

TOPEKA,  KANSAS,  June  24, 1867. 
COMMANDING   OFFICER,   FORT   LEAVENWORTH,   KANSAS: 

Will  you  issue  to  the  State  ten  thousand  rounds  of  am- 


SECOND  TERM  257 

munition?     The  Indians  have  attacked  and  driven  back  the 
railroad  men  west  of  Harker. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 
Governor. 

June  28,  the  following  was  received: 

LEAVENWORTH,  June  28, 1867. 
Gov.  CRAWFORD: 

The  following  despatch  has  just  been  received: 

' '  FORT  HARKER,  June  28,  1867. 
B.  M.  SHOEMAKER: 

My  camp  was  attacked  by  Indians  yesterday,  at  7  A.  M. 
We  lost  one  man  killed,  and  one  badly  wounded.  Five  In- 
dians were  killed. 

J.  B.  BILEY, 

Engineer. ' ' 

Unless  we  are  promptly  protected,  all  the  men  will  be 
driven  off  the  work,  and  the  citizens  out  of  the  country. 

B.  M.  SHOEMAKER. 

On  the  twenty-seventh  of  June  General  A.  J.  Smith 
called  on  me  for  a  battalion  of  volunteers,  but  on  the 
morning  of  the  twenty-eighth  the  requisition  was  with- 
drawn; whereupon  I  sent  the  following  to  Gen. 
Sherman : 

TOPEKA,  June  28,  1867. 
GEN.  W.  T.  SHERMAN, 

St.  Louis,  Mo. : 

Gen.  Smith  this  morning  recalled  his  requisition  for  vol- 
unteers. This  leaves  our  frontier  settlers,  railroad  men  and 
all  others  in  western  Kansas,  exposed,  and  liable  to  be  mur- 
dered and  scalped  at  any  moment.  What  shall  be  done?  I 
cannot  move  against  the  Indians  with  militia,  but  will,  if 
desired,  furnish  the  Government  with  a  volunteer  force  suffi- 
cient to  put  an  end  to  these  outrages.  The  Secretary  of 
War  informs  me  that  full  power  is  vested  in  you,  and  the 
management  of  the  whole  affair  committed  to  your  discretion. 
If  so,  I  do  earnestly  hope  you  will  call  out  a  volunteer  force, 
and  move  against  the  Indians  at  once. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Governor. 


258  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

In  reply  to  this,  the  following  despatch  was 
received : 

ST.  Louis,  Mo.,  July  1, 1867. 
Gov.  S.  J.  CRAWFORD: 

You  may  call  out  a  volunteer  battalion  of  six  or  eight 
companies,  to  be  at  end  of  track  on  Saturday  next.  I  will 
come  in  person. 

W.  T.  SHERMAN, 
Lieutenant  General. 

On  the  same  day  came  the  following: 

FORT  LEAVENWORTH,  KAN.,  July  1, 1867. 
Gov.  S.  J.  CRAWFORD: 

Lieut.  Gen.  Sherman  telegraphs  me  that  he  called  on  you 
for  six  or  eight  companies  of  cavalry,  to  be  at  the  end  of 
the  railroad  (Fort  Harker)  the  last  of  this  week.  "Will  have 
an  officer  at  Fort  Harker  to  muster  them  as  soon  as  notified 
that  they  are  ready.  The  companies  will  be  entitled  to  one 
lieutenant-colonel,  two  majors,  eight  captains,  eight  first 
lieutenants,  eight  second  lieutenants,  and  not  less  than  sixty 
privates,  nor  more  than  seventy-eight,  to  each  company. 
Arms  and  other  supplies  will  be  furnished  at  Fort  Harker. 

CHAUNCY  MCKEVEB, 
Brevet  Brig.  Gen.,  and  A.  A.  G. 

CALL,  FOB  STATE  TROOPS 

STATE  OF  KANSAS,  EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 

TOPEKA,  July  1,  1867. 

Whereas  the  central  and  western  portions  of  the  State  of 
Kansas  are  now,  and  have  been  for  some  time,  overrun  with 
roving  bands  of  hostile  Indians;  and  whereas  these  Indians, 
though  claiming  protection  from  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, and  regularly  receiving  their  annuities  in  due  form, 
have,  without  cause,  declared  war  upon  the  people  of  this 
State;  they  have  indiscriminately  murdered,  scalped,  mu- 
tilated and  robbed  hundreds  of  our  frontier  settlers  and 
other  parties  in  Western  Kansas,  who  were  quietly  attending 
to  their  own  legitimate  affairs;  they  have  almost  entirely  cut 
off  communication  between  Kansas  and  other  Western  States 
and  Territories ;  the  men  employed  in  the  construction  of  the 
U.  P.  E.  R.,  E.  D.,  have  been  driven  back,  leaving  many  of 


SECOND  TERM  259 

their  number  butchered  and  scalped  upon  the  ground.  Gen- 
eral Sherman  and  other  United  States  officers  are  doing  all 
in  their  power  to  suppress  hostilities,  but  they  have  not  a 
sufficient  force  of  United  States  troops  to  execute  their  design, 
and  have  called  upon  me  for  a  battalion  of  cavalry  to  aid 
in  the  work.  I  shall,  therefore,  as  speedily  as  possible,  or- 
ganize eight  companies  of  volunteer  cavalry,  to  be  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  for  a  period  of  six  months, 
unless  sooner  discharged.  Said  companies  will  be  armed, 
equipped  and  paid  by  the  General  Government,  the  same  as 
other  troops  in  the  United  States  service. 

Recruiting  officers  will  be  appointed  as  soon  as  the  names 
of  suitable  persons  can  be  forwarded  to  this  office. 

I  appeal  to  all  good  citizens  of  this  State  to  favor,  fa- 
ciliate,  and  aid  this  effort  to  protect  the  lives  and  property 
of  our  frontier  settlers. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 
Governor  of  Kansas. 

On  the  second  of  July  the  following  was  received : 

FORT  HARKER,  July  2,  1867. 
Gov.  CRAWFORD: 

Please  telegraph  me  the  number  of  companies  and  strength 
of  each,  called  for  by  Gen.  Sherman,  to  arrive  at  this  point 
soon,  that  I  may  make  necessary  provisions  for  them. 

A.  J.  SMITH, 
Brev.  Maj.  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 

On  the  fifth  the  following  was  received : 

FORT  HARKER,  July  5,  1867. 
GOVERNOR  CRAWFORD: 

Arms  and  accoutrements  have  been  forwarded  from  Leav- 
enworth  to  this  point,  for  the  Kansas  troops.  Quartermas- 
ter's and  commissary  stores  are  now  arriving.  The  troops 
will  be  mustered  at  this  place  by  an  officer  sent  from  Leaven- 
worth. 

A.  J.  SMITH, 
Brev.  Maj.  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 

Immediately  after  the  proclamation,  recruiting  of- 
ficers were  appointed,  and  a  battalion  of  four  compa- 


260  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

nies  of  cavalry  hastily  organized  and  mustered  into  the 
U.  S.  Service  at  Fort  Harker,  Kansas,  on  July  15, 1867. 
This  battalion  was  designated  as  the  Eighteenth  Kan- 
sas Cavalry,  with  Field  and  Line  Officers.* 

The  officers  had  previously  won  their  spurs  by  deeds 
of  daring  during  the  Civil  War ;  and  the  enlisted  men 
were  mostly  veteran  soldiers. 

When  the  battalion  was  in  line,  being  mustered  into 
service  at  Fort  Harker,  the  cholera  was  raging  in  the 
garrison  and  three  of  the  Kansas  boys  were  stricken 
down  while  the  oath  was  being  administered.  T^he  re- 
mainder, however,  stood  firm  and  when  the  ceremony 
was  over,  marched  off  the  parade  ground  with  a  steady 
step. 

Immediately  on  being  mustered  into  service,  Major 
Moore  took  the  field  and  went  in  red-hot  pursuit  of  the 
savage  barbarians.  He  moved  over  to  the  Arkansas 
Valley,  and  from  there  worked  his  way  northward  on 
the  trail  of  the  hostiles,  until  they  began  to  see  the 
handwriting  on  the  wall. 

He  had  about  three  hundred  brave,  determined  sol- 
diers ;  and  as  he  advanced,  the  roving  bands  began  to 
concentrate  west  of  the  settlements  along  the  Smoky, 
Solomon,  and  Eepublican  Valleys.  They  called  to  their 
assistance  bands  of  the  Sioux  and  Northern  Cheyennes, 
until  their  numbers  were  estimated  at  from  eight  hun- 
dred to  one  thousand. 

When  advancing  northward  on  the  main  trail  of  the 
Southern  Indians,  Major  Moore  detached  two  compa- 
nies of  his  battalion  (Captains  Barker  and  Jenness) 
and  sent  them  in  pursuit  of  hostile  bands  that  were 
threatening  the  grading  parties  along  the  railroad  west- 
ward to  Fort  Harker,  while  he  pushed  northward  be- 
tween the  settlements  and  other  bands  toward  the  Sol- 
omon and  Eepublican  Rivers. 

Major  Elliott,  with  a  battalion  of  the  Seventh  Cav- 
alry, was  in  the  field  north  of  Hayes,  and  Captain 

*See  Appendix. 


SECOND  TERM  261 

Armes,  with  his  troop  of  the  Tenth  Cavalry,  was  ope- 
rating on  the  Saline  and  Solomon  Rivers  in  advance  of 
Moore  and  Elliott.  As  already  stated,  the  Indians  were 
concentrating  in  force  on  the  Solomon  and  Republican. 

Evidently  it  was  the  intention  of  General  Hancock 
to  concentrate  his  three  columns  gradually  and  strike 
the  Indians  with  his  combined  force,  but  Captain 
Armes,  who,  as  yet  was  widely  separated  from  Moore 
and  Elliott,  struck  a  large  body  of  warriors  in  the  Sa- 
line Valley,  and  being  reinforce.d  with  two  companies 
of  the  Eighteenth  Kansas  (Barker  and  Jenness),  drove 
them  north  to  the  Republican,  where  the  Indians  in 
large  numbers  were  concentrated. 

Instantly  a  battle  royal  was  on,  which  continued  for 
two  days.  Armes  had  about  two  hundred  men  in  action 
and  the  red-skins  about  eight  hundred.  The  result  of 
this  battle  was  briefly  stated  in  a  despatch  from  Gen- 
eral Hancock  as  follows : 

FORT  HARKER,  KANSAS,  Aug.  26, 1867. 
GOVERNOR  CRAWFORD: 

Capt.  Armes,  Tenth  Cavalry,  with  one  company  of  his 
regiment  and  two  companies  of  the  Eighteenth  Kansas  Vol- 
unteers, was  attacked  on  the  21st  inst.,  at  noon,  on  the  Re- 
publican River,  by  a  large  force  of  Indians,  reported  to  be 
800  or  1,000  in  number,  and  were  engaged  until  the  night  of 
the  22d.  Our  troops,  about  150  in  number,  covering  a  wide 
space  of  country,  were  finally  forced  to  retire,  with  a  loss  of 
three  men  killed  and  left  on  the  field,  and  thirty-five 
wounded,  who  were  brought  in.  The  command  also  lost 
forty  horses  during  the  engagement.  Capt.  Armes  reports 
a  large  number  of  Indians  killed  and  wounded;  Lieut.  Price 
of  the  Eighteenth  Kansas,  says  about  150.  The  command 
encamped  about  three  miles  from  Fort  Harker  last  night. 
Maj.  Moore,  of  the  Eighteenth  Kansas,  with  the  remainder  of 
the  battalion,  and  Maj.  Elliott,  of  the  Seventh  Cavalry,  with 
about  two  hundred  men  of  that  regiment,  started  this  morn- 
ing for  the  Indians. 

WINFIELD  S.  HANCOCK, 

Maj.  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 


262  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

Captain  Armes  was  an  impetuous,  daring  young  of- 
ficer who  could  brook  no  delay.  The  Indians  had  been 
dodging  and  baffling  the  troops  all  summer;  and  the 
Captain,  not  knowing  that  they  had  concentrated  in 
f once,  dashed  in  against  five  to  one,  and  soon  found  him- 
self on  the  defensive.  Had  he  waited  for  Moore  and 
Elliott,  or  either  of  them,  the  Indians  could  have  been 
rounded  up  and  much  of  the  stolen  property  recap- 
tured. A  few  days  after  this  engagement,  Major 
Moore,  with  his  battalion,  struck  a  portion  of  these 
same  Indians  and  scattered  them  to  the  four  winds. 

The  northern  Indians  returned  to  their  own  coun- 
try, and  the  Cheyennes,  Arapahoes,  Kiowas,  and  Co- 
manches  retreated  southward,  committing  depreda- 
tions as  they  went.  Their  supply  train  having  been 
captured  and  taken  to  Fort  Lamed  in  the  summer  by 
General  Sherman's  order,  they  ran  short  of  ammuni- 
tion, blankets,  and  provisions,  and  hence,  were  not  in 
condition  to  continue  on  the  war-path.  Besides,  the 
troops  were  on  the  trail  and  they  were  endeavoring  to 
make  good  their  escape.  Their  supplies  from  the  Gov- 
ernment having  been  cut  off,  and  the  Indian  traders 
having  been  warned  not  to  furnish  them  any  more  guns, 
ammunition,  or  other  war  material,  they  were  in  an  un- 
pleasant predicament, 


CHAPTER  XIX 

COUNCIL  AT  MEDICINE  LODGE 

STATEMENT       OF       INDIAN       DEPREDATIONS INDIAN       DI- 
PLOMACY   TREATIES BAD      OSAGES THANKSGIVING 

PROCLAMATION. 

DURING  the  Summer  the  Indians  had  raided  the 
frontier  settlements  northward  to  the  Republican 
River  and  routes  of  travel,  westward  to  the  Colorado 
line.  They  had  killed,  wounded,  and  scalped  a  large 
number  of  men,  women,  and  children.  They  had  robbed 
and  burned  the  homes  of  settlers;  captured  and  de- 
stroyed overland  trains ;  murdered  the  grading  parties 
on  the  Kansas  Pacific  Railroad;  and  committed  other 
atrocities  too  numerous  to  mention, —  all  with  arms  and 
ammunition  furnished  them  by  United  States  Indian 
agents  and  Indian  traders. 

The  agents  were  under  the  control  of  the  Indian  Of- 
fice at  Washington,  and  it  was  largely  through  their 
recommendation  and  misrepresentations  that  the 
wicked  policy  then  in  vogue  was  adopted  by  the  Gov- 
ernment and  persisted  in  by  the  Interior  Department. 
There,  under  the  same  Government,  was  the  War  De- 
partment, with  an  army  in  the  field,  endeavoring  to 
suppress  Indian  hostilities,  and  at  the  same  time,  the 
Interior  Department,  furnishing  the  same  hostile  In- 
dians with  supplies  and  munitions  of  war.  Back  of  the 
Interior  Department  was  a  gang  of  thieving  Indian 
agents  in  the  West,  and  a  maudlin  sentimentality  in  the 
East,  derived  from  Cooper's  novels  and  impressed 
upon  that  Department  by  ignorant  but  well-meaning 
humanitarians.  Back  of  the  War  Department  were  the 

263 


264  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

Army  in  the  field,  the  State  authorities  on  the  ground ; 
the  mutilated  bodies  of  hundreds  of  frontier  settlers; 
and  the  prayers  of  many  helpless  and  homeless  women 
and  orphan  children  for  protection,  all  along  the 
border. 

Generals  Hancock  and  A.  J.  Smith,  and  many  other 
reliable  officers  were  in  the  field  and  kept  the  Govern- 
ment at  Washington  well  informed  of  the  situation,  but 
their  official  reports  had  little  weight  in  the  Interior 
Department,  the  fountainhead  of  all  the  trouble  from 
Indians  that  year.  The  report  of  a  disreputable  Indian 
agent  would  take  precedence  in  that  Department  over 
the  reports  of  army  officers  every  time. 

The  train  of  supplies,  en  route  to  the  Indians,  which 
was  seized  and  taken  to  Fort  Lamed  by  order  of  Gen- 
eral Sherman,  left  the  Indian  women  and  children  of 
the  war-parties  without  food  and  clothing,  and  the  war- 
riors with  only  the  fl.TnnmTiit.inn  they  carried  with  them 
when  they  went  north  in  the  Spring,  and  such  as  they 
could  buy  from  Indian  traders.  By  seizing  the  train 
above  mentioned,  which  was  said  to  contain  fourteen 
hundred  pounds  of  ammunition,  Sherman  clipped  the 
wings  of  the  Indian  agents,  and  that  left  only  the  trad- 
ers as  the  source  of  supply  for  the  Indians  on  the  war- 
path. Gradually  the  traders  were  rounded  up,  and  the 
supply  entirely  cut  off. 

Being  out  of  ammunition  and  retreating  southward, 
closely  pursued  by  our  troops,  the  Indians  were  met  by 
messengers  from  the  Peace  Commission  and  invited  to 
a  general  Council  to  be  held  on  Medicine  Lodge  Creek 
in  South  Central  Kansas,  early  in  October.  This  was 
joyful  news  to  the  redskins,  because  Winter  was  ap- 
proaching, and  their  families  were  destitute  of  almost 
everything  except  buffalo  meat. 

They  knew  it  meant  general  amnesty  and  a  full  par- 
don of  the  crimes  they  had  been  committing ;  they  knew 
they  would  be  allowed  to  keep  all  the  horses,  mules,  and 
other  property  stolen  or  captured  during  the  Spring 


COUNCIL  AT   MEDICINE  LODGE  265 

and  Summer;  they  knew  they  would  receive  food  and 
clothing  for  themselves  and  their  families  sufficient  for 
the  Winter.  Of  course,  they  were  ready  and  anxious 
to  meet  the  Great  Father  in  Council  and  agree  to  what- 
ever he  might  put  on  paper  for  them  to  sign. 

The  II.  S.  troops  and  the  Kansas  cavalry  were  called 
off  the  trail  and  stationed  at  points  of  observation. 
General  Hancock  returned  to  Fort  Leavenworth,  and 
the  "  noble  red  men  "  moved  on  to  the  designated 
Council  grounds,  with  the  scalps  of  white  people  dang- 
ling on  their  belts  as  they  rode  into  camp. 

The  Peace  Commission  that  was  to  meet  them  and 
treat  with  them  at  Medicine  Lodge  was  composed  of 
the  following  gentlemen: 

Hon.  N.  G.  Taylor,  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs. 

General  W.  S.  Harney,  U.  S.  Army. 

General  A.  H.  Terry,  U.  S.  Army. 

General  C.  C.  Augur,  U.  S.  Army. 

General  J.  B.  Sanborn,  U.  S.  Army. 

Senator  J.  B.  Henderson,  U.  S.  Senate. 

Colonel  S.  F.  Tappan,  Citizen. 

General  Wm.  T.  Sherman  was  also  a  member  of  the 
Commission,  but  was  not  able  to  attend  this  council. 
By  his  invitation,  however,  the  Hon.  E.  G.  Ross,  Dr. 
J.  P.  Boot,  Colonel  J.  K.  Rankin,  and  I  were  present, 
and  to  some  extent  participated  in  the  council 
proceedings. 

STATEMENT  OP  INDIAN  DEPREDATIONS 

At  the  opening  of  the  Council  I  submitted  a  state- 
ment relative  to  Indian  depredations  on  the  frontier, 
as  follows: 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
TOPEKA,  KAN.,  Oct.  5, 1867, 
HON.  N.  G.  TAYLOR,  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs, 

and  President  of  the  Peace  Commission : 
SIRS  :    By  request  I  have  prepared,  and  herewith  submit 
to  your  Board,  the  following  statement  relating  to  our  Indian 
troubles. 


266  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

In  this  brief  statement  it  is  unnecessary  to  refer  to  the 
cause  of  these  troubles  or  rather  to  the  origin  of  this  war ;  for 
such  it  is  and  has  been,  since  the  Minnesota  massacre  of 
1863. 

The  Sioux  Indians,  who  committed  such  horrible  out- 
rages in  that  State,  being  driven  out,  immediately  set  about 
forming  an  alliance  with  other  wild  tribes  of  the  plains  for 
the  purpose  of  a  general  war. 

Emissaries  were  at  once  sent  to  the  Cheyennes,  Kiowas, 
Apaches,  and  Comanches,  with  propositions  which  were 
readily  accepted  by  these  tribes.  A  general  war  was  agreed 
upon,  to  be  commenced  as  soon  as  arms  and  ammunition 
could  be  procured. 

The  alliance  thus  formed,  though  comparatively  weak  at 
first,  has  rapidly  grown  into  a  powerful  army ;  well  organized, 
armed,  and  equipped. 

During  the  past  three  years,  thousands  of  our  people  have 
been  murdered  and  scalped;  hundreds  of  women  captured 
and  outraged;  and  millions  of  property  destroyed  or  stolen 
by  these  red-handed  fiends.  Kansas  alone  has  shared  a  large 
portion  of  these  and  other  outrages,  to  say  nothing  of  those 
committed  upon  the  people  of  other  States  and  Territories 
bordering  on  the  plains. 

The  following  brief  sketch  will  show  a  few  of  the  atrocities 
committed  in  Kansas  and  upon  citizens  of  Kansas  since  1865 : 

"  On  the  26th  day  of  July,  1865,  Sergeant  A.  J.  Custard, 
with  26  men  of  the  llth  Kansas  Cavalry,  while  escorting  a 
train  to  Platte  Bridge,  was  surrounded  and  attacked  by  1,500 
Indians.  After  a  desperate  fight  of  three  hours,  his  ammuni- 
tion being  expended  and  one-half  of  his  men  having  fallen, 
he  was  overpowered  and  taken.  Custard  was  bound  with 
telegraph  wire  to  the  wheel  of  a  wagon  and  burned  alive. 
The  wounded  were  placed  in  the  wagons  and  also  burned  alive. 
Another  man  was  tied  by  the  wrists  and  swung  to  a  telegraph 
pole,  and  while  in  this  position  was  cut  from  head  to  foot 
and  his  nerves  or  sinews  drawn  out.  The  others  were  tor- 
tured in  a  similar  way ;  some  of  them  having  their  hands  and 
feet  cut  off  while  they  were  still  living. 

"  The  horses,  arms,  and  clothing  belonging  to  the  men 
were  taken  by  the  Indians,  who  afterwards  boasted  of  the 
manner  in  which  Custard  and  his  men  were  taken  and  tor- 


COUNCIL  AT    MEDICINE  LODGE  267 

tured  to  death.  This  is  but  one  of  the  great  many  attacks 
made  upon  detachments  of  the  llth  Kansas  during  the  year 
1865.  I  refer  to  this  instance  to  show  that  the  Indians  were 
in  force  and  intended  war  at  that  time. 

During  the  same  year  they  attacked  a  train  with  which 
two  of  our  best  citizens  and  their  families  were  crossing  the 
plains  to  Colorado.  The  Indians  approached  the  train  pro- 
fessing to  be  friendly.  After  traveling  along  for  two  days 
and  when  they  had  gained  the  confidence  of  all  connected 
with  the  train,  at  a  given  signal  they  made  an  attack  and 
murdered  every  white  man  but  one  who  escaped.  The  two 
women  were  taken  prisoners;  one  of  whom  soon  after  made 
her  escape;  the  other  was  detained  by  the  Indians  and  sub- 
jected to  the  most  outrageous  treatment  for  seven  months, 
when  she  was  ransomed  by  the  Government  upon  the  payment 
of  $3,000.  The  horrible  treatment  of  this  woman  during 
her  captivity  can  only  be  described  by  herself. 

"  During  the  past  three  years  the  Comanche  and  Kiowa 
Indians  have  captured  and  treated  in  a  similar  manner  a 
great  many  women  and  children,  whom  they  have  sold  to 
the  Government  through  the  instrumentality  of  their  agent, 
J.  H.  Leavenworth,  who  says  his  Indians  are  at  peace  and 
have  committed  no  depredations. 

"  Last  year  the  frontier  settlers  on  the  Republican,  the 
Solomon,  the  Saline,  and  the  Smoky  Hill,  were  frequently 
attacked  and  driven  in  by  small  bands  of  hostile  Indians.  In 
May,  1866,  they  attacked  a  small  settlement  on  the  Republican 
River,  killing  six  men  and  capturing  twenty-five  head  of 
horses.  They  also  attacked  and  captured  a  number  of  trains 
on  the  Smoky  Hill  and  Arkansas  routes.  Early  last  Spring 
hostilities  were  resumed  in  the  Republican  Valley  and  also 
on  the  Smoky  Hill  and  Arkansas. 

"  In  May  an  attack  was  made  upon  the  settlers  on  White 
Rock,  west  of  Lake  Sibley.  Three  men  and  one  boy  were 
killed  and  scalped,  and  one  boy  wounded,  who  made  his 
escape  while  the  Indians  were  scalping  his  father.  Two  wo- 
men were  taken  prisoners;  one  of  whom  was  outraged  by  a 
number  of  Indians  and  then  killed  and  scalped;  the  other 
was  taken  away  to  suffer  a  worse  fate  and  has  not  since  been 
heard  of. 

"  During  the  same  month  an  attack  was  made  upon 
the  settlers  in  the  Solomon  and  Saline  valleys,  in  which  a 


268  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

number  of  persons,  including  men,  women,  and  children,  were 
killed  and  scalped  and  a  large  amount  of  property  either  car- 
ried away  or  destroyed. 

"  About  the  1st  of  June  last,  a  small  party  of  Indians 
made  another  raid  into  the  Saline  Valley  and  murdered 
the  family  of  Mr.  Thompson,  consisting  of  his  wife  and  four 
children.  Mr.  Thompson,  himself,  being  a  few  rods  from  the 
house  when  the  attack  was  commenced,  escaped  while  the  In- 
dians were  murdering  his  wife  and  children. 

"  About  the  middle  of  June  the  Indians  in  force,  made 
an  attack  upon  working  parties  on  the  railroad,  and  upon 
freighters  and  others  along  the  Smoky  Hill,  killing  a  number 
of  men  and  capturing  most  of  the  stock  on  that  line.  On  the 
27th  of  the  same  month,  about  fifty  Indians  attacked  the 
working  parties  at  Wilson's  Creek,  killing  John  Kestler,  an 
engineer,  and  wounding  a  number  of  employees.  On  the 
same  day  they  attacked  a  man  by  the  name  of  Thompson  on 
the  Smoky  Hill,  and  captured  and  drove  away  a  portion  of  his 
stock.  Mr.  Thompson  has  been  on  the  plains  since  1832;  is 
perfectly  familiar  with  the  different  tribes  of  Indians,  and 
says  those  making  this  attack  were  Cheyennes  and  Kiowas. 

"  In  the  month  of  July  they  killed  and  scalped  two  men 
near  Downer's  Station,  killed  and  scalped  one  man  near  Fos- 
sil Creek,  and  killed  and  scalped  one  man  near  Walker's 
Creek.  On  the  28th  fifty  Indians  attacked  Clinton  and 
Campbell's  camp  (contractors  on  the  road  ten  miles  east  of 
Hays),  killed  and  scalped  seven  men,  including  the  foreman, 
and  captured  most  of  the  stock.  On  the  30th  the  Station 
at  Big  Creek  was  attacked,  and  forty  head  of  horses  and 
mules  captured. 

"  August  5th  Mr.  Fish,  a  contractor  with  twenty-three 
men,  was  attacked  ten  miles  west  of  Hays  by  four  hundred 
Indians  and  driven  back  three  miles  to  a  station,  losing  a 
number  of  his  men  wounded,  and  a  portion  of  his  stock 
captured.  Same  day  Captain  Neeley's  camp  fifteen  miles 
west,  was  attacked  by  two  hundred  Indians,  who  after  a 
severe  fight  of  two  hours,  were  repulsed.  Damage  not 
reported.  On  the  same  day,  a  pacty  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  Indians  attacked  Mr.  Logan  twenty  miles  west  of  Hays ; 
camp  taken  and  burned,  and  stock  all  captured.  They  also 
on  the  same  day  attacked  the  respective  camps  of  Holihen, 
Quinn,  Harvey  and  Todd,  and  Hall,  capturing  their  stock, 
burning  their  camps,  and  driving  off  all  the  workmen. 


COUNCIL  AT   MEDICINE  LODGE  269 

"  August  7th,  they  attacked  the  camp  of  Sharp  and 
Shaw;  killed  and  wounded  a  number  of  men,  and  captured 
thirt'  -two  head  of  horses  and  mules. 

"  August  8th,  they  attacked  Mr.  Wicks  with  an  engi- 
neering party,  west  of  Hays,  wounding  one  of  his  men.  Same 
day  a  party  of  one  hundred  again  attacked  Mr.  Fish  and 
party,  driving  them  off  the  work. 

"  I  should  have  stated  in  the  proper  connection  that  on 
the  first  of  August  the  Indians  attacked  Campbell's  camp 
near  the  North  Fork  of  Big  Creek;  killed  seven  men,  and 
captured  nine  head  of  stock.  Same  day  they  attacked  the 
station  of  the  Overland  Stage  Company  at  Big  Creek ;  killed 
and  wounded  a  number  of  persons,  and  captured  thirty  head 
of  stock. 

"  There  were  many  other  depredations  committed  during 
the  month  of  August  —  on  the  Smoky  Hill,  Arkansas,  Repub- 
lican, and  Platte  —  all  of  which  can  be  easily  ascertained  by 
your  board  if  it  is  desired.  Since  it  was  known  to  the 
Indians  that  the  Peace  Commissioners  were  en  route  to  meet 
them  in  Council,  our  people  suffered  more  from  them  than  at 
any  previous  time. 

"  September  7th,  they  killed  and  scalped  Frank  Malone, 
a  trader  on  Cow  Creek,  twenty-six  miles  west  of  Ellsworth, 
after  which  they  sacked  and  burned  his  store. 

"  September  12th,  W.  G.  &  John  Williams,  while  making 
hay  eight  miles  west  of  Ellsworth,  were  attacked  by  fifteen 
Indians,  wounded,  and  barely  made  their  escape.  Their 
house  was  robbed  and  one  team  captured.  The  same  day 
they  obstructed  the  railroad  seven  miles  west  of  Ellsworth 
and  fired  into  the  train.  The  arrows  used  were  those  of  the 
Kiowa  Indians. 

"  September  14th,  the  Indians  held  the  road  west  of 
Hays  during  the  day.  Same  day  the  camp  of  Mr.  Logan,  a 
contractor,  was  attacked,  and  a  portion  of  the  stock  captured. 

"  September  15th,  Mr.  Robinson's  train  was  attacked  and 
a  portion  of  his  stock  captured  near  Hays.  Same  day,  Lieut. 
Howard,  5th  Infantry,  with  a  train  between  Hays  and  Har- 
ker,  was  attacked,  and  twenty-five  head  of  stock  and  other 
property  captured.  Same  day  Mr.  Logan's  working  party 
was  again  surrounded  by  a  large  force  of  Indians,  who  held 
them  in  their  works  for  three  days.  No  report  of  the  killed 
and  wounded.  Same  attacked  Mr.  Haller's  ranch  and  cap- 
tured most  of  his  stock. 


270  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

"  September  19th,  Parks,  a  contractor,  forty-five  miles 
west  of  Hays,  was  attacked  and  himself  and  one  of  his  men 
killed,  and  another  wounded ;  a  portion  of  his  stock  captured. 

"  While  these  and  many  other  outrages  were  being  com- 
mitted on  the  Smoky  Hill,  the  suffering  on  the  Republican 
and  Arkansas  routes  was  much  worse. 

"  September  8th,  Powers  and  Newman's  train  was 
attacked  by  three  hundred  Indians  twenty  miles  east  of  Fort 
Dodge ;  four  men  killed  and  a  number  wounded ;  one  wagon 
and  team  captured.  Same  day  a  Mexican  train  was  attacked, 
and  two  hundred  mules  captured.  About  the  same  time 
Kitchen's  train  was  attacked  seventeen  miles  east  of  Dodge, 
and  four  wagons,  loaded  with  ordnance  stores,  captured  and 
burned;  one  man  killed. 

"  About  the  twentieth  of  September  they  attacked  a 
Mexican  train  belonging  to  Frank  Hunning,  near  Fort  Zarah, 
capturing  five  wagons  and  all  the  stock,  and  killing  one 
man  and  one  woman.  About  the  same  time  a  hay  party 
near  Dodge  was  attacked;  one  man  killed  and  one  team 
captured. 

"  September  24th,  the  Indians  captured  all  the  stock  of 
three  heavily  loaded  trains  en  route  to  New  Mexico.  This 
occurred  thirty  miles  west  of  Fort  Dodge.  About  the  same 
time  Gen.  Marcy  and  Gen.  Carlton,  with  an  escort  of  one 
company,  were  attacked  by  three  hundred  Indians;  one  man 
killed  and  Lieut.  Williams  severely  wounded.  Also  about 
the  same  time  and  place,  Mr.  Kitchen's  train  was  attacked, 
and  fifty  mules  captured.  Also  Gen.  Wright's  surveying 
party,  with  an  escort  of  one  company,  where  ten  men  were 
killed  and  wounded." 

And  so  I  might  go  on  referring  to  deeds  of  atrocity  com- 
mitted by  the  Indians  during  the  past  three  years;  but  it 
seems  as  though  the  above,  in  addition  to  those  heretofore 
reported,  and  those  committed  in  other  States  and  Terri- 
tories, ought  to  be  enough  to  convince  our  Congress,  as  well 
as  this  Peace  Commission,  that  prompt  and  decisive 
measures  should  be  at  once  adopted  to  punish  the  Indians 
for  what  they  have  done,  and  secure  peace  in  the  future. 

The  present  policy  of  the  Government,  which  is  to 
encourage  the  Indians  in  the  most  bloody  and  atrocious 
crimes,  which  none  but  these  savages  are  susceptible  of  com- 
mitting, has  been  tolerated  long  enough. 


COUNCIL   AT    MEDICINE   LODGE  271 

It  is  a  common  saying  among  the  Indians,  that  the  more 
murders  they  commit,  and  the  more  property  they  capture 
and  destroy,  the  more  presents  they  will  receive  from  the 
Government;  and  that  capturing  women  and  children,  and 
selling  them  to  the  Government,  is  more  profitable  than  steal- 
ing horses.  This  is  virtually  paying  the  Indians  —  and  they 
so  understand  it  —  a  reward  for  every  scalp  taken  and  a 
premium  for  every  woman  and  child  captured. 

While  the  Indians  of  the  plains  have  been  murdering  and 
harassing  our  people  on  the  west,  the  Osage  Indians  have 
been  committing  depredations  along  our  southern  border. 
They  have  during  the  past  twelve  months  stolen  over  two 
hundred  head  of  horses  and  other  stock  from  settlers  near 
their  reservation.  They  have  committed  a  number  of  mur- 
ders and  other  outrages. 

Their  agent,  Snow,  against  whom  charges  have  hereto- 
fore been  repeatedly  preferred  and  suppressed,  is  notori- 
ously unfit  and  disqualified  for  the  position;  and  I  attribute 
all  the  troubles  arising  from  these  Osage  Indians  to  him 
directly.  From  the  time  the  last  payment  was  made  in  the 
Fall  of  1866  until  within  a  few  weeks  past,  he  had  not  visited 
their  reservation,  and  not  then  until  he  was  driven  to  them 
through  fear  of  being  reported  and  dismissed. 

During  the  Summer  a  portion  of  Agent  Snow's  traders 
have  been  supplying  the  Osage  Indians  with  arms  and 
ammunition,  which  were  doubtless  taken  out  and  sold  by 
them  to  the  wild  Indians  who  have  been  on  the  war  path. 
Their  stolen  horses,  or  a  portion  of  them,  were  exchanged 
with  the  hostile  Indians  for  Government  horses  and  mules 
and  other  captured  property,  of  which  there  is  a  large 
amount  in  the  Osage  nation  at  the  present  time.  Had  their 
agent  remained  with  them,  these  and  other  outrages  might 
easily  have  been  prevented. 

In  view  of  these  facts  and  for  the  purpose  of  preventing 
further  depredations  and  keeping  peace  between  these 
Indians  and  our  frontier  settlers,  I  would  most  respectfully, 
but  earnestly,  ask  that  he  be  removed  from  the  position  of 
agent.  I  have  notified  the  chiefs  of  this  tribe  that  I  should 
hold  them  responsible,  not  only  for  the  outrages  heretofore 
committed,  but  for  the  conduct  of  their  Indians  in  the  future ; 
that  if  further  depredations  were  committed,  they  would  be 
punished. 


272  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

J.  H.  Leavenworth,  agent  for  the  Comanche  and  Kiowa 
Indians,  is  also  a  bad  man.  His  traders  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Little  Arkansas  River,  and  wherever  else  he  may  have  them 
stationed,  have  been  supplying  the  wild  Indians  of  the  plains 
with  everything  necessary  to  enable  them  to  prosecute  the 
war  against  our  people.  Hundreds  of  our  citizens  have  been 
murdered  and  scalped,  and  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of 
property  captured  or  destroyed  by  Indians  who  received 
their  supplies  from  Leavenworth  and  his  traders.  Some  of 
them  deny  having  furnished  arms  and  ammunition  for  such 
purposes,  and  it  may  be  possible  that  they  are  not  all  guilty 
of  that  damnable  crime.  If  they  are  not,  they  have  been 
furnishing  them  with  other  supplies  which  is  equally  as  bad. 

If  the  present  Peace  Commissioners  succeed  in  making 
a  treaty  with  the  hostile  Indians  and  decide  upon  still  further 
trying  the  present  policy,  I  would  respectfully  suggest  the 
propriety  of  appointing  some  man  who  can  be  relied  upon  as 
agent,  in  place  of  J.  H.  Leavenworth.  He  in  my  opinion,  is 
directly  responsible  for  many  of  the  outrages  committed  by 
Indians.  The  Kiowas  and  Comanches  have  been  more  exten- 
sively engaged  in  capturing  and  selling  women  and  children, 
than  any  other  Indians  on  the  plains,  and  yet  he  is  no  doubt 
ready  to  prove,  with  affidavits,  which  cost  him  probably  $0.25 
each,  that  they  have  committed  no  depredations,  but  that  the 
Cheyennes  and  others  have  done  the  work. 

The  Cheyennes  have  committed  many  depredations,  but 
I  do  not  believe  that  they  were  on  the  Arkansas,  robbing 
trains  and  scalping  people  from  Fort  Zarah  to  Fort  Lyon; 
on  the  Smoky  Hill,  murdering  railroad  men,  attacking  stage 
stations,  obstructing  the  railroad,  firing  into  the  cars,  cap- 
turing Government  trains,  etc.,  from  Fort  Harker  to  Fort 
Wallace;  and  on  the  Saline,  Solomon,  and  Republican,  com- 
mitting depredations  all  along  these  lines  at  one  and  the 
same  time.  If  so,  the  Cheyennes  are  a  powerful  tribe. 

Respectfully  submitted, 
SAM'L  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor. 

The  Indians  were  there  in  force ;  bucks,  squaws,  and 
papooses,  five  thousand  or  more,  besides  their  ponies, 
dogs,  and  stolen  horses  and  mules. 

The  Commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  Kiowas 
were: 


COUNCIL   AT    MEDICINE  LODGE  273 

Satanka,  or  Sitting  Bear. 
Wah-toh-konk,  or  Black  Eagle. 
Fish-e-more,  or  Stinking  Saddle. 
Sa-tim-gear,  or  Stumbling  Bear. 
Cor-beau,  or  The  Crow. 
Sa-tan-ta,  or  White  Bear. 
Ton-a-en-ko,  or  Kicking  Eagle. 
Ma-ye-tin,  or  Woman's  Heart. 
Sa-pa-ga,  or  One  Bear. 
Sa-to-more,  or  Bear  Lying  Down. 

On  the  part  of  the  Comanches : 

Parry-wah-say-men,  or  Ten  Bears. 
To-she-wi-,  or  Silver  Brooch. 
Ho-we-ar,  or  Gap  in  the  Woods. 
Es-a-man-a-ca,  or  Wolf's  Name. 
Pooh-hah-to-yeh-be,  or  Iron  Mountain. 
Tep-pe-navon,  or  Painted  Lips. 
Cear-chi-neka,  or  Standing  Feather. 
Tir-ha-yah-gua-hip,  or  Horse's  Back. 
At-te-es-ta,  or  Little  Horn. 
Sad-dy-yo,  or  Dog  Fat. 

On  the  part  of  the  Apaches: 

Mah-vip-pah,  or  Wolf's  Sleeve. 
Cho-se-ta,  or  Bad  Back. 
Ba-zhe-ech,  or  Iron  Shirt. 
Kon-zhon-ta-co,  or  Poor  Bear. 
Nah-tan,  or  Brave  Man. 
Til-la-ka,  or  White  Horn. 

On  the  part  of  the  Cheyennes : 

0-to-ah-nac-co,  or  Bull  Bear. 
Nac-co-hah-ket,  or  Little  Bear. 
Is-se-von-ne-ve,  or  Buffalo  Chief. 
O-ni-hah-ket,  or  Little  Rock. 
Moke-tav-a-to,  or  Black  Kettle. 
Mo-a-vo-va-ast,  or  Spotted  Elk. 
Vip-po-nah,  or  Slim  Face. 
Wo-pah-ah,  or  Gray  Head. 
Ma-mo-ki,  or  Curly  Hair. 
O-to-aJi-lias-tis,  or  Tall  BuU. 


274  KANSAS   IN   THE  SIXTIES 

Hah-ket-home-mah,  or  Little  Eobe. 
Mo-han-histe-histow,  or  Heap  of  Birds. 
Wo-po-ham,  or  White  Horse. 
Min-nin-ne-wah,  or  Whirlwind. 

On  the  part  of  the  Arapahoes : 

Little  Raven. 
Storm. 

Spotted  Wolf. 
Young  Colt. 
Yellow  Bear. 
White  Rabbit. 
Little  Big  Mouth. 
Tall  Bear. 

These  were  the  Ministers  Plenipotentiary  on  behalf 
of  these  wild  tribes. 

The  U.  S.  Commissioners  and  their  friends  arrived 
and  established  camp  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Medicine 
Lodge  Creek,  October  2,  1867.  The  train  of  supplies 
taken  by  Sherman's  order  in  the  Summer  and  held  at 
Lamed,  was  brought  down  to  the  Council  grounds  and 
the  boxes  of  goods,  etc.,  piled  up  on  top  of  each  other 
in  full  view,  that  the  Indians  might  come  in  and  take 
notice.  No  boxes  were  set  apart  or  piled  up  for  the 
white  women  and  children,  whose  husbands  and  fathers 
had  been  killed  and  scalped  by  the  fiendish  devils  who 
were  waiting  for  the  goods  in  these  boxes. 

The  bands  that  had  been  on  the  war-path  were  the 
last  to  arrive.  Their  guilty  consciences  made  them  cau- 
tious, lest  they  might  run  into  a  trap.  But  being  as- 
sured of  safety,  they  finally  came  up  and  pitched  their 
tepees  some  three  miles  from  our  camp. 

The  next  day  the  Peace  Commissioners,  represent- 
ing the  Great  White  Chief  at  Washington,  and  the  Am- 
bassadors, representing  the  "  Noble  Bed  Men  of  the 
Plains,"  assembled  in  a  large  tent  and,  after  shaking 
hands  all  round  and  smoking  the  pipe  of  peace,  opened 
the  Powwow  with  a  brief  dissertation  from  the  Hon. 


COUNCIL  AT    MEDICINE  LODGE  275 

N.  G.  Taylor,  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  as  to  the 
object  and  purpose  of  the  Council. 

INDIAN  DIPLOMACY 

What  Commissioner  Taylor  said  was  received  in 
silence,  and  at  the  conclusion  approved  by  a  sponta- 
neous grunt  from  the  nomads.  For  a  while  silence 
reigned  supreme,  when  Bull  Bear,  the  leading  war- 
chief  of  the  Cheyennes,  rose  to  his  full  height  of  six 
feet,  with  the  dignity  of  a  Eoman  Senator,  and  drawing 
his  blanket  around  him  carefully  to  hide  his  concealed 
weapons,  delivered  a  harangue;  which,  when  inter- 
preted, showed  that  the  Indians  were  on  the  war-path 
to  prevent  Kansas  and  Colorado  from  being  settled  by 
the  pale-faces. 

He  said  the  Indians  claimed  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try as  their  own,  and  did  not  want  railroads  built 
through  it  to  scare  away  the  buffalo.  He  said,  in  his 
peculiar  way,  a  good  many  things  that  reflected  seri- 
ously on  the  Indian  Policy  of  the  Government  and  its 
injustice  to  the  Indians.  A  great  deal  of  what  he  said 
was  rambling,  irrelevant,  and  of  no  consequence.  But 
he  did  the  best  he  could  to  justify  his  people  in  what 
they  had  done.  Throughout  his  talk,  there  was  con- 
siderable Indian  cunning  displayed  and  much  sup- 
pressed Indian  viciousness. 

They  had  been  told  by  Commissioner  Taylor,  in  his 
previous  talk,  that  the  "  Great  Father  "  wanted  the 
Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes  to  surrender  their  claims  to 
lands  and  the  right  to  hunt  in  Kansas  and  Colorado, 
and  remove  south  to  a  reservation  in  the  Indian  Terri- 
tory, where  game  was  more  abundant;  but  Bull  Bear 
thought  they  owned  all  the  country  east  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  between  the  Washita  and  Platte  Rivers. 

When  told  that  they  had  previously  sold  and  been 
paid  for  most  of  their  lands  east  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, he  squirmed  and  said,  "  Yes,  but  we  are  now 
ready  to  make  another  treaty."  To  this  the  other  In- 


276  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

dians  assented  with  an  impressive  grunt.  Then  Little 
Raven,  principal  chief  of  the  Arapahoes;  Ten  Bears, 
war  chief  of  the  Comanches ;  Kicking  Eagle,  of  the  Ki- 
owas ;  and  Wolf 's  Sleeve,  of  the  Apaches,  followed  Bull 
Bear  in  the  order  mentioned,  and  repeated,  in  sub- 
stance, what  he  had  said. 

Little  Eaven  and  Kicking  Eagle  were  less  vehement 
and  more  diplomatic  than  the  others.  They  wanted  to 
make  peace  and  be  sure  of  their  winter  supplies.  Be- 
sides, they  were  both  good  Indians  and  opposed  to  war. 
The  Cheyennes  were  the  worst  of  all,  and  led  in  all 
those  Indian  wars,  followed  by  the  young  men  of  the 
other  tribes.  Satanka  and  Satanta,  two  leading  Kiowa 
chiefs,  warlike  and  always  bloodthirsty,  sat  quiet 
throughout  the  morning  session  nd  paid  strict  atten- 
tion to  what  was  said. 

After  all  who  wished  to  talk  had  expressed  their 
views,  the  Council  adjourned,  to  meet  the  next  morn- 
ing. At  the  appointed  time,  the  same  chiefs,  with  a 
number  of  new  arrivals,  were  there,  and  substantially 
the  same  ground  was  travelled  over  as  on  the  previous 
day. 

This  farce  was  repeated  from  day  to  day  for  per- 
haps a  week,  when  all  of  a  sudden,  Satanta,  of  the  Ki- 
owas,  arose  in  his  place  and  made  a  most  vicious  talk, 
boasting  of  what  he  had  done,  and  walked  out,  followed 
by  the  other  chiefs.  His  action,  to  the  Army  Officers 
present,  was  significant  and  foreboded  evil.  But  the 
Council  proceeded  as  usual,  and  at  the  proper  time  ad- 
journed until  the  next  morning. 

When  Santanta  left  the  Council  with  a  wicked  ex- 
pression all  over  his  face,  Colonel  John  K.  Rankin  and 
I,  also,  walked  out  and  over  to  the  camp  of  our  infantry 
and  artillery  and  suggested  to  the  officers  in  command, 
the  propriety  of  ordering  their  men  to  camp  and  hold- 
ing themselves  in  readiness  for  any  emergency  that 
might  arise. 

The  next  morning  Satanta  and  some  other  chiefs 


COUNCIL  AT    MEDICINE  LODGE  277 

did  not  attend  the  Council,  nor  were  any  of  the  Indian 
women  or  children  to  be  seen  about  the  Council 
grounds.  Besides,  bands  of  mounted  Indians  could  be 
soon  in  the  distance  scouting  around,  as  they  had  often 
been  seen  when  on  the  war-path.  A  number  of  the 
chiefs,  however,  were  at  the  Council  the  next  day  as 
usual. 

All  that  day  and  a  part  of  the  next,  there  was  con- 
siderable uneasiness  among  the  Army  Officers,  who 
knew  the  treachery  of  an  Indian.  General  Terry,  the 
most  skilful  Indian-fighter  on  the  ground,  was  quite  un- 
easy because  we  had  less  than  five  hundred  soldiers 
there,  while  the  Indians,  all  told,  had  not  less  than  three 
thousand  warriors  within  three  miles  of  our  camp. 

Satanta,  Tall  Bull,  and  others  contemplated  an  at- 
tack, and,  if  possible,  a  massacre  of  the  Peace  Commis- 
sioners and  all  present.  But  seeing  the  troops  kept 
close  in  camp,  and  the  artillery  trained  in  their  direc- 
tion, their  courage  failed  them. 

Tall  Bull  was  the  last  to  leave  the  bloody  trail  and 
come  down  to  the  Council.  After  reaching  the  Indian 
camp,  he  formed  a  part  of  his  band  —  about  two  hun- 
dred mounted  warriors  —  and  came  over  to  our  camp 
in  line  of  battle  just  as  the  sun  was  setting.  He  crossed 
Medicine  Creek  and  halted  a  short  distance  from  our 
tents.  The  Peace  Commissioners  and  their  guests 
walked  out  to  meet  him. 

As  he  sat  on  his  horse  in  front  of  his  line  of  mounted 
warriors,  General  Harney,  an  old  Indian-fighter,  ad- 
vanced and  extended  his  hand.  Tall  Bull  reached  out 
his  hand  with  one  finger  extended,  which  was  promptly 
brushed  aside  by  the  General  who  took  no  further  no- 
tice of  him.  It  was  thought  by  some  of  those  present 
that  that  was  why  the  renegades  subsequently  left  the 
Council  as  they  did.  However,  in  the  course  of  a  day 
or  so,  they  returned  and  negotiations  proceeded  as 
though  nothing  had  interfered. 


278  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

TREATIES 

On  the  twenty-first  a  treaty  was  concluded  with  the 
Kiowas,  Comanches,  and  Apaches,  and  witnessed  by  a 
number  of  gentlemen,  including  Henry  M.  Stanley, 
afterwards  the  African  explorer  and  Member  of  Parlia- 
ment. On  the  twenty-eighth  the  Cheyenne  and  Arapa- 
hoe  treaty  was  signed,  and  a  vast  amount  of  supplies 
delivered  to  the  unruly  wards. 

By  these  treaties  the  Kiowas,  Comanches,  and 
Apaches  received  a  large  reservation  north  of  Red 
Eiver,  on  lands  that  formerly  belonged  to  the  Choctaws 
and  Chickasaws;  and  the  Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes 
received  a  reservation  of  about  three  million  acres  on 
the  Cherokee  outlet,  in  what  is  now  the  State  of  Okla- 
homa, in  exchange  for  all  the  lands  owned  or  claimed 
by  them  in  Kansas  and  Colorado. 

Having  accomplished  their  purpose  by  waging  a  re- 
lentless warfare  in  Kansas  during  the  summer,  they 
were  now  ready  to  return  to  their  winter  haunts  on  Eed 
River  and  indulge  in  sports  and  war-dancing  around 
the  scalps  of  their  victims,  until  the  weather  was  pro- 
pitious for  another  raid  in  Kansas.  The  Peace  Com- 
mission had  granted  them  amnesty  for  past  offences 
and  given  them  food,  clothing,  arms,  ammunition,  and 
other  supplies  sufficient  for  the  winter,  and  that  made 
them  docile  for  the  time  being. 

Thus  the  great  Council  of  1867  wound  up  its  affairs, 
and  the  Commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  United 
States  and  their  guests,  assistants,  and  escort,  folded 
their  tents  and  returned  to  their  wigwams  to  await 
developments. 

When  the  troops  in  the  field  were  called  off  the  trail 
and  the  Indians  invited  to  the  Peace  Council  at  Medi- 
cine Lodge,  General  Hancock  returned  to  Fort  Leaven- 
worth,  and  soon  thereafter  was  ordered  to  relieve 
General  Sheridan  at  New  Orleans.  When  informed  of 
his  going,  I  addressed  a  letter  to  him,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  copy : 


COUNCIL  AT  MEDICINE  LODGE  279 

EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT. 

TOPEKA,  KAN.,  Sept.  10,  1867. 
MAJ.  GEN.  "W.  S.  HANCOCK, 
Commanding  Dept.  of  Mo., 

Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas. 
GENERAL : 

I  learn  with  regret  that  you  are  about  leaving  this 
Department  for  duty  elsewhere. 

Before  you  go,  I  beg  leave  to  say  in  behalf  of  the  people 
of  this  State,  that  your  untiring  efforts  in  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  your  official  duties  while  here,  are  fully  appre- 
ciated, and  that  you  carry  with  you  wherever  you  may  be 
called,  the  heartfelt  thanks  of  a  grateful  people,  who  through 
your  exertions,  in  part,  have  been  spared  from  the  ravages 
and  atrocities  of  a  blood-thirsty  foe. 

We  are  fully  aware  of  the  difficulties  and  embarrass- 
ments, with  which  you  have  had  to  contend,  and  fully  accord 
to  you  the  commendation  of  having  most  faithfully  dis- 
charged your  every  duty. 

During  the  past  year  many  of  our  people  have  fallen 
victims  to  the  savage  barbarity  of  hostile  Indians;  yet  the 
blood  of  none  of  these  rests  upon  you. 

Accept  this  as  a  slight  token  of  appreciation  of  your  val- 
uable and  efficient  services  while  on  duty  in  this  Department. 

May  God  grant  you  health  and  courage  to  continue  in 
the  discharge  of  your  duty  as  faithfully  as  you  have  done 
in  Kansas. 

Sincerely  yours, 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor. 

In  reply,  the  following  was  received: 

ST.  Louis,  Mo.,  October  16,  1867. 
His  Exc.  S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 
Governor  of  Kansas, 

Topeka,  Kansas. 
MY  DEAR  SIR: 

Your  letter  of  September  10th,  written  on  the  occasion 
of  my  being  relieved  in  command  of  the  Department  of  the 
Missouri,  and  commending  my  services  while  in  the  exercise 
of  that  command,  has  been  received  and  affords  me  much 
gratification. 


280  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

I  regret  very  much  being  sent  to  another  field  of  duty, 
and  especially  before  the  Indian  question  has  been  finally 
disposed  of. 

I  believe  it  is  only  necessary  for  any  person,  not  inter- 
ested in  trade  with  the  Indians,  to  travel  through  the  State 
of  Kansas  from  East  to  West,  to  fully  understand  the  Indian 
question.  That  all  such  persons  must  come  to  a  like  conclu- 
sion can  scarcely  be  doubted. 

That  the  question  will  in  time  be  settled  in  a  sensible 
way  is  certain;  although  contrary  interests  may  retard  the 
final  settlement. 

A  judicious  course  now  may  prevent  the  final  extermina- 
tion of  the  Indians,  but  before  anything  tending  to  a  per- 
manent arrangement  with  them  can  be  accomplished,  I 
believe  it  will  be  necessary  to  make  them  feel  the  power  of 
the  Government. 

With  much  respect,  I  remain 

Your  obedient  servant, 

WINFIELD  S.  HANCOCK, 

Major  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 

General  Hancock  was  a  true  soldier  and,  had  he 
been  allowed  to  finish  his  campaign  in  1867,  we  would 
have  been  spared  the  horrible  outrages  and  atrocities 
perpetrated  by  these  same  Indians  in  1868. 

BAD  OSAGES 

While  the  wild  tribes  were  operating  on  the  plains, 
a  band  of  ex-rebel  Osages  was  prowling  about  the 
southern  border  of  the  State,  stealing  horses  and  other 
stock  from  the  settlers.  During  the  Summer  I  visited 
the  Osage  nation  with  an  escort,  and  calling  the  chiefs 
together,  informed  them  of  what  their  renegades  had 
been  doing,  and  demanded  either  the  thieves  or  the 
stolen  property.  The  property  was  promptly  returned. 
Sixteen  horses  were  taken  back  to  their  owners  at  one 
time,  as  I  was  informed ;  and  ten  at  another,  as  the  fol- 
lowing letter  shows : 


COUNCIL  AT    MEDICINE  LODGE  281 

FORT  SCOTT,  Sept.  27,  1867. 
To  the  HON.  S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 
Governor  of  the  State  of  Kansas. 

A  number  of  our  citizens  request  me  to  return  their 
thanks  for  your  efforts  in  their  behalf  in  procuring  ten  head 
of  horses  taken  from  them  by  the  Osage  Indians,  as  th"ey 
believe  that  it  was  entirely  through  your  efforts  that  they 
recovered  their  lost  property.  And  one  man  especially, 
James  Connor,  a  blind  man,  requests  me  that  I  should  return 
his  thanks  for  the  recovery  of  his  horses  for  he  says  his  whole 
dependence  was  upon  them.  And,  believe  me,  that  the 
expressions  of  gratitude  I  heard  them  make  will  prove  sin- 
cere should  you  ever  want  any  assistance  from  their  hands  or 
the  hands  of  their  friends. 

The  names  of  James  Connor,  Mr.  Smith,  Mr.  Gray,  and 
Mr.   Perkins  are   mentioned   as   persons  benefited  by  your 
efforts,  and  they  all  join  in  returning  you  their  thanks. 
Very  respectfully  yours, 

J.  S.  EMMERT. 


This  ended  our  troubles  with  the  Osages,  and  there- 
after they  were  as  good  as  most  of  the  civilized  tribes. 

Early  in  November,  1867, 1  returned  from  the  Med- 
icine Lodge  Council  and  devoted  my  time  to  the  affairs 
of  State  which  had  necessarily  been  neglected. 

On  the  fifteenth  of  November,  the  Eighteenth  Kan- 
sas Cavalry  was  called  home  and  mustered  out  of  serv- 
ice. The  Regular  troops  engaged  in  the  Indian  war  of 
that  summer  were  ordered  into  winter  quarters  at 
Forts  Harker  and  Hayes. 

Later  in  November  I  visited  and  inspected  the  State 
institutions  and  public  buildings  at  Topeka,  Manhattan, 
Emporia,  Osawatomie,  Olathe,  Wyandotte,  Lawrence, 
and  Leavenworth. 

Notwithstanding  the  ravages  incident  to  our  Indian 
war  and  the  trials  and  tribulations  of  our  frontier  set- 
tlers, immigration  continued  to  pour  into  eastern  Kan- 
sas, and  evidence  of  prosperity  was  visible  in  all 
directions.  New  fields,  new  orchards,  new  houses,  new 


282  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

towns,  and  new  faces,  were  here  reflecting  the  light  and 
influence  of  a  progressive  civilization. 

THANKSGIVING   PKOCLAMATION 

In  keeping  with  the  new  order  of  things,  and  thank- 
ful for  even  a  temporary  cessation  of  hostilities  on  the 
border,  I  issued  a  Proclamation  as  follows : 

STATE  OF  KANSAS, 
Executive  Department. 

God,  in  his  mercy,  has  preserved  our  people  through 
another  year.  Though  in  the  infancy  of  her  existence,  Kan- 
sas is  enabled  to  rejoice  in  the  fulness  of  prosperity. 

The  year  has  been  one  of  general  healthf  ulness ;  our 
people  have  enjoyed  the  privileges  of  Free  Schools,  and 
experienced  the  ennobling  influences  of  a  Free  Religion. 

Abundant  harvests  have  rewarded  the  labors  of  the 
husbandman,  and  every  department  of  industry  has  thrived. 
Our  railroad  enterprises  have  been  prosecuted  with  vigor; 
that  great  national  thoroughfare  which  is  destined  to  con- 
nect us  with  the  mineral  States  of  the  Pacific  Coast  and  place 
within  our  reach  the  wealth  of  Asiatic  commerce,  is  now 
far  on  its  way  toward  the  western  limit  of  the  State. 

In  view  of  these  and  manifold  other  blessings  and  mer- 
cies, and  in  accordance  with  a  time-honored  custom,  I  do 
hereby  designate 

THURSDAY,  NOVEMBER  28,  1867, 

as  a  day  of  thanksgiving  and  prayer  to  Almighty  God. 

Abstaining  on  that  day  from  all  their  secular  pursuits,  I 
do  earnestly  invite  the  people  of  this  State  to  assemble  in 
their  customary  places  of  public  worship,  to  return  thanks  to 
our  Heavenly  Father  for  the  gracious  manifestations  of  His 
favor  in  the  past,  and  to  implore  His  guidance,  protection, 
and  blessings  of  the  future. 

Renewing  our  solemn  vows  of  fidelity  to  the  nation,  and 
of  devotion  to  the  moral,  material,  and  political  welfare  of 
the  State,  let  us  reverently  importune  the  Father  of  all  good 
for  the  continuance  of  His  fostering  care. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and 


COUNCIL  AT    MEDICINE  LODGE  283 

caused  the  great  seal  of  the  State  to  be  affixed,  at  Topeka, 
this  4th  day  of  November,  1867. 

By  the  Governor,  S.  J.  CRAWFORD. 
R.  A.  Barker,  Secretary  of  State. 

Having  complied  with  this  Proclamation  and  par- 
taken of  a  bountiful  Thanksgiving  dinner,  where  the 
table  was  laden  with  Kansas  products  and  surrounded 
by  charming  Kansas  ladies  —  and  men  not  so  charming 
-I  set  about  to  prepare  for  the  coming  of  the  new 
year  and  new  Legislature. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE    LEGISLATURE    OF    1868 

THE  new  year  opened  bright  and  propitious.  Peace 
reigned  on  the  borders  and  throughout  the  State. 
Work  on  the  several  railroads  was  progressing  rapidly. 
On  the  first  of  January  the  Kansas  Pacific  reached  the 
three  hundred  and  thirty-fifth  mile-post  in  Western 
Kansas,  and  the  Leavenworth  branch  was  completed. 
The  Central  Branch  was  constructed  one  hundred  miles 
west  from  Atchison.  Work  on  other  roads  was  also 
fairly  under  way,  and  the  farmers  were  ploughing  and 
preparing  for  their  spring  crops. 

On  the  fourteenth  the  new  Legislature  convened.* 

This  Legislature,  on  assembling,  immediately  or- 
ganized and  appointed  a  Joint  Committee  to  inform  the 
Governor  that  the  House  and  Senate  were  in  session 
and  ready  to  receive  such  communications  and  recom- 
mendations as  the  Executive  Department  might  have 
to  make. 

On  the  same  day,  January  14,  as  required  by  the 
Constitution,  I  transmitted  my  fourth  Annual  Message 
to  the  two  Houses,  and  the  memorable  session  of  1868 
began  its  arduous  duties. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  session  the  Commission, 
consisting  of  S.  A.  Riggs,  J.  M.  Price,  and  James  Mc- 
Cahon,  previously  appointed  to  codify  the  laws  of 
Kansas,  made  its  report  to  the  Legislature.  This  re- 
port, after  being  carefully  considered  by  the  Legisla- 
ture, was  adopted  substantially  as  reported  by  the 

*See  Appendix  for  the  names  of  the  members  and  officers. 

284 


LEGISLATURE  OF  1868  285 

Commission  and  became  the  laws  of  the  State  of 
Kansas. 

The  work  of  this  Commission,  and  the  wisdom  dis- 
played by  the  Legislature  in  its  approval  of  the  same, 
deserve  all  the  enconiums  that  have  been  bestowed 
upon  them.  The  laws  brought  forth  by  that  Commis- 
sion, and  reviewed  and  adopted  by  the  Legislature, 
were  universally  approved  and  commended  by  the 
courts,  lawyers,  and  people  of  Kansas  at  that  time. 
That  they  have  stood  like  a  granite  wall  and  resisted 
the  assaults  of  Legislatures,  good,  bad,  and  indifferent, 
for  thirty-eight  years,  is  clearly  shown  by  the  Hon. 
John  S.  Dawson,  our  present  Attorney  General,  in  an 
address  delivered  before  the  Kansas  State  Historical 
Society,  December  4,  1906.* 

That  Mr.  Dawson  is  right  in  what  he  says  of  the 
Legislature  of  1868  and  its  imperishable  work,  no  one 
familiar  with  the  facts  will  for  a  moment  dispute.  But 
it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  the  Legislature  of  1867 
preceded  the  Legislature  of  1868.  It  was  that  Legisla- 
ture, working  in  harmony  with  the  State  authorities, 
that  originated  the  idea  and  enacted  the  legislation 
leading  to  the  codification  of  the  laws  by  a  commission. 

The  Legislature  of  1867  was  composed  of  intelli- 
gent, conscientious  men,  who,  generally  speaking,  were 
devoted  to  Kansas  and  its  best  interests.  Two  of  the 
Senators  in  that  body,  Samuel  A.  Riggs  and  John  M. 
Price,  were  members  of  the  commission  that  codified 
the  laws. 

The  Legislatures  of  1865  and  1866  were  also  com- 
posed of  first-class  men,  but  both  of  these  were  neces- 
sarily opening  the  road  through  a  wilderness  of 
political  rubbish  that  had  been  strewn  in  the  pathway  of 
the  State  during  the  dark  days  of  the  war.  Neverthe- 
less we  waded  through  and  established  a  solid  macad- 

*See  Appendix. 


286  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

amized  road  out  on  to  the  broad  plain  of  a  glorious 
future. 

The  laws  of  1868  were  only  a  part  of  the  magnifi- 
cent structure  we  established  for  the  State.  On  the 
third  of  March  the  Legislature  of  1868,  having  com- 
pleted its  work  and  given  the  State  a  code  of  laws  that 
have  stood  the  test  for  more  than  a  third  of  a  century, 
adjourned  sine  die. 


BAID  ON  COUNCIL  GEOVE MASSACRE  IN  THE  SOLOMON  AND 

REPUBLICAN  VALLEYS DESPATCH  TO  PRESIDENT  JOHN- 
SON   BATTLE  OF  THE  ARICKAREE. 

SOON  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Legislature,  the 
hostile  Indians  who  had  been  furnished  with  sup- 
plies (including  arms  and  ammunition)  by  the  U.  S. 
Indian  agents  and  traders  during  the  previous  winter, 
again  made  their  appearance  in  South-Central  Kansas. 

The  Kiowas  and  Comanches  and  a  part  of  the 
Cheyennes  went  into  camp  on  Pawnee  Creek,  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Fort  Larned;  and  the  Arapahoes,  Apaches, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  Cheyennes  camped  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Fort  Dodge,  on  the  Arkansas  River;  and  all 
proceeded  to  draw  rations  from  the  Government  until 
the  buffalo  came  north  in  herds  sufficient  to  supply 
them  with  food. 

With  the  coming  of  grass  in  the  Spring  came  the 
buffalo ;  whereupon  the  Indians  grew  independent  and 
restless,  and  showed  signs  of  hostility.  They  had  re- 
ceived arms  and  ammunition  at  the  Medicine  Lodge 
Council  the  previous  October,  when  they  came  there 
fresh  from  the  warpath,  and  now  they  demanded  more 
guns,  pistols,  and  ammunition. 

General  Sheridan,  who  had  been  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  Department,  reached  Fort  Larned 
early  in  March,  and  thence  proceeded  to  Fort  Dodge, 
where  he  could  be  in  touch  with  all  the  Indians  in  that 
vicinity.  The  chiefs,  head-men,  and  warriors  talked, 
smoked,  and  powwowed  with  Sheridan  almost  every 

287 


288  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

day  for  a  month.  They  declared  that  the  Peace  Com- 
mission at  Medicine  Lodge  had  promised  to  issue  more 
guns,  pistols,  and  ammunition  to  them  at  Fort  Larned 
in  the  Spring,  and  that  they  had  come  up  to  get  them. 
Sheridan,  and  General  Sully,  who  was  there  on 
duty,  seeing  the  discontent  among  the  Indians  and  fear- 
ing an  outbreak,  were  opposed  to  giving  them  the  arms 
and  ammunition  they  were  demanding.  The  Indians 
and  their  agents  were  persistent.  One  band  of  Chey- 
ennes  made  a  raid  on  the  Kaws  (a  civilized  tribe  near 
Council  Grove),  as  a  beginning  of  hostilities  in  the 
spring,  but  it  so  happened  that  the  Kaws  were  armed 
and  prepared  to  receive  them. 

BAID    ON    COUNCIL    GROVE 

Their  agent,  Major  E.  S.  Stover  (late  of  the  Sec- 
ond Kansas  Cavalry),  an  officer  of  skill  and  unflinching 
courage,  was  there,  and  lost  no  time  in  forming  his  line 
for  action.  When  Major  Stover  was  told  that  the 
Cheyennes  were  coming,  he  immediately  ordered  every 
man  to  the  front  with  his  gun,  and  the  squaws  and 
papooses  into  the  storehouses  near  the  Agency  build- 
ing for  protection. 

Near  the  Agency  was  a  dense  forest  of  timber, 
through  which  the  Cheyennes  had  to  make  their  way. 
Stover  stationed  his  warriors  behind  trees  at  the  outer 
edge  of  the  forest  and  when  the  Cheyennes  advanced 
witihn  range,  they  received  a  volley  that  sent  a  num- 
ber of  them  to  the  happy  hunting-grounds.  The  Chey- 
ennes numbered  about  four  hundred  warriors,  while 
the  Kaws  had  less  than  two  hundred  with  arms.  The 
battle  raged  in  the  timber  and  a  part  of  the  time  on  the 
open  field  with  great  fury,  from  early  in  the  morning 
until  late  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  Cheyennes  hauled 
off  and  beat  a  hasty  retreat,  robbing  the  settlers  as 
they  went. 

When  the  battle  began  in  the  morning,  Major 
Stover  started  a  messenger  to  me  at  Topeka,  sixty 


HOSTILE  INDIANS  289 

miles  distant,  with  a  note,  saying  that  the  Kaws  had 
been  attacked  by  the  Cheyennes,  and  a  battle  royal  was 
raging;  but  he  would  "  hold  the  fort  "  until  I  arrived 
with  reinforcements.  The  messenger  (Jo  Jim)  ar- 
rived in  Topeka  about  7  P.  M.  and  related  his  blood- 
curdling and  hair-raising  story. 

The  only  available  troops  I  had  within  easy  reach, 
were  Thaddeus  H.  Walker,  Geo.  H.  Hoyt,  and  Colonel 
J.  W.  Forsyth,  of  Sheridan's  staff.  On  reading 
Stover's  note,  I  announced  to  these  gentlemen  that  I 
was  going  to  the  front,  whereupon  they  each  tendered 
their  services  and  said  they  would  also  go.  In  a  few 
minutes  we  were  off  to  the  war  behind  two  dashing 
teams  that  made  the  run  of  sixty  miles  by  the  light  of 
a  full  moon,  and  reached  the  field  just  as  the  sun  was 
making  its  appearance  over  the  eastern  hills. 

When  we  arrived  the  battle  was  over  and  the  Chey- 
ennes were  under  full  retreat  westward  on  the  old 
Santa  Fe  trail.  After  viewing  the  battlefield  and  re- 
viewing the  victorious  Kaws,  we  were  escorted  over 
to  the  beautiful  little  city  of  Council  Grove  by  Major 
Stover,  where  we  found  the  good  people  slowly  recov- 
ering from  the  excitement  of  the  Cheyenne  raid. 

While  this  band  of  Cheyennes,  under  the  leadership 
of  Tall  Bull,  was  raiding  the  Kaws  and  robbing  the 
settlers  west  of  Council  Grove,  another  band  of  the 
same  tribe  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Wallace,  com- 
mitting depredations  along  the  Kansas  Pacific  Bail- 
road  and  stage  routes  to  Denver. 

Meantime  the  Kiowas,  Comanches,  Arapahoes, 
and  the  remaining  bands  of  the  Cheyennes  were  linger- 
ing back  at  Lamed  and  Dodge,  demanding  guns,  pis- 
tols, and  ammunition  as  a  condition  precedent  to  their 
remaining  at  peace.  The  only  reason  they  did  not  go 
out  on  the  war-path  when  Tall  Bull  started  on  his  ex- 
pedition against  the  Kaws,  was  that  they  could  not  go 
until  they  received  arms  and  ammunition  from  the 
Government  or  from  their  traders.  Hence  they  lin- 


290  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

gered  back  at  Lamed  and  Dodge  and  demanded  war 
supplies. 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  Council  Grove  raid,  the 
guns,  pistols,  and  fixed  ammunition,  which  had  been 
sent  to  Larned  for  them,  would  have  been  distributed 
in  May,  as  the  Indian  office  at  Washington  and  the 
Agents  with  the  Indians  were  demanding.  That,  and 
other  outrages,  which  were  being  committed  daily  by 
roving  bands,  convinced  Sheridan  and  General  Sully, 
who  were  on  the  ground,  that  they  meant  war.  And 
yet  in  the  face  of  what  was  going  on  all  around  them, 
these  Generals  yielded  against  their  own  better  judg- 
ment and  allowed  the  guns,  pistols,  and  ammunition 
to  be  issued  to  treacherous  assassins. 

MASSACKE  IN  THE  SOLOMON  AND  EEPUBLICAN  VALLEYS 

The  issue  of  not  only  arms  and  ammunition,  but 
food,  clothing,  and  other  supplies  was  made  on  the 
third  of  August,  1868.  Within  three  days  they  broke 
up  their  camps  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Larned,  where 
the  war  supplies  were  distributed,  and  started  north  on 
their  work  of  death,  desolation,  rapine,  and  robbery. 
They  first  struck  the  Kansas  Pacific  Eoad  and  the  set- 
tlements along  the  Smoky  Hill  and  Saline  Rivers,  and 
after  laying  them  in  waste  and  leaving  a  trail  of  blood 
and  ruin  behind,  they  appeared  in  the  Solomon  and  Re- 
publican valleys. 

There  their  fiendish  atrocities  were  beyond  descrip- 
tion. Having  been  informed  of  the  issuance  of  supplies 
and  munitions  of  war  to  the  hostile  tribes  at  Larned,  I 
returned  from  the  frontier  to  Topeka  to  prepare  for 
the  worst.  Scarcely  had  I  reached  home  when  I  re- 
ceived the  following  despatch: 

SALINA,  KANSAS,  August  14,  1868. 
Gov.  S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Topeka,  Kansas: 

A  messenger  just  in  from  the  Solomon  Valley  reports  a 
large  number  of  Indians  in  Mitchell,  Ottawa,  and  Republic 


HOSTILE  INDIANS  291 

counties,  murdering  indiscriminately.  They  attacked  the 
upper  settlements  day  before  yesterday,  and  swept  down  the 
valleys  for  a  distance  of  thirty  miles,  butchering  men,  women,, 
and  children  as  they  advanced.  The  main  body  has  gone 
north  to  the  Republican  Valley.  What  few  settlers  escaped 
in  Mitchell  County  are  in  a  stone  corral  on  Asher  Creek. 
Forty  persons  reported  killed. 

R.  D.  MOBLEY. 

In  response  to  this  and  other  similar  despatches,  I 
went  in  person,  by  special  train,  to  Salina,  and  there 
hastily  organized  a  volunteer  company  and  moved 
rapidly  to  the  relief  of  the  settlers,  but  arrived  too  late 
to  save  the  lives  of  over  forty  persons  who  had  been 
killed  or  wounded  and  scalped  by  the  Indians.  After 
having  the  wounded  provided  for  and  the  dead  buried, 
I  returned  to  Topeka  and  sent  the  following  despatch 
to  the  President : 

DESPATCH  TO  PRESIDENT  JOHNSON 

TOPEKA,  KANSAS,  August  17,  1868. 
To  His  EXCELLENCY  ANDREW  JOHNSON,  PRESIDENT: 

I  have  just  returned  from  Northwestern  Kansas,  the 
scene  of  a  terrible  Indian  massacre.  On  the  thirteenth  and 
fourteenth  instant,  forty  of  our  citizens  were  killed  and 
wounded  by  hostile  Indians.  Men,  women  and  children  were 
murdered  indiscriminately.  Many  of  them  were  scalped,  and 
their  bodies  mutilated.  "Women,  after  receiving  mortal 
wounds,  were  outraged  and  otherwise  inhumanly  treated  in 
the  presence  of  their  dying  husbands  and  children.  Two 
young  ladies  and  two  little  girls  were  carried  away  by  the 
red-handed  assassins,  to  suffer  a  fate  worse  than  death. 
Houses  were  robbed  and  burned,  and  a  large  quantity  of 
stock  driven  off.  The  settlements,  covering  a  space  sixty 
miles  wide,  and  reaching  from  the  Saline  to  the  Republican, 
were  driven  in,  the  country  laid  in  ashes  and  the  soil 
drenched  in  blood.  How  long  must  we  submit  to  such  atroci- 
ties? Need  we  look  to  the  Government  for  protection,  or 
must  the  people  of  Kansas  protect  themselves?  If  the  Gov- 
ernment cannot  control  these  uncivilized  barbarians,  while 
they  are  under  its  fostering  care  and  protection,  it  certainly 


292  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

can  put  a  stop  to  the  unbearable  policy  of  supplying  them 
with  arms  and  ammunition,  especially  while  they  are  waging 
war  notoriously  against  the  frontier  settlements,  from  the 
borders  of  Texas  to  the  plains  of  Dakota.  The  savage  devils 
have  become  intolerable,  and  must  and  shall  be  driven  out  of 
this  State.  Gen.  Sheridan  is  doing,  and  has  done,  all  in  his 
power,  to  protect  our  people,  but  he  is  powerless  for  want  of 
troops.  If  volunteers  are  needed,  I  will,  if  desired,  furnish 
the  Government  all  that  may  be  necessary  to  insure  a  per- 
manent and  lasting  peace. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor  of  Kansas. 

This  message  was  referred  to  General  W.  T.  Sher- 
man, commanding  the  Military  Division  of  the  Mis- 
souri, who  immediately  set  in  motion  all  his  available 
troops  and  did  everything  in  his  power  to  have  the  hos- 
tile Indians  overtaken  and  punished ;  General  Sheridan, 
who  had  returned  to  Fort  Harker,  was  also  doing  what 
he  could,  but  the  troops  at  their  command  were  in- 
adequate for  the  work  before  them. 

A  wide  area  of  country  stretching  from  the  Arkan- 
sas River  to  the  Republican  and  westward  to  Colorado 
was  swarming  with  roving  bands,  here  to-day  and  else- 
where to-morrow,  committing  murder  and  other  hor- 
rible crimes  with  perfect  impunity. 

After  the  massacre  on  the  Solomon  and  Republican 
Rivers,  I  received  despatches  from  General  Sheridan 
as  follows : 

HEADQUARTERS,  FORT  HARKER,  August  21,  1868. 

Gov.  CRAWFORD: 

The  Indians  committing  depredations  on  the  Solomon 
and  Saline  were  a  party  of  about  two  hundred  Cheyennes, 
twenty  Sioux,  and  four  Arapahoes.  Since  that  time  two  of 
my  scouts  have  been  killed  and  one  wounded,  and  to-day 
they  have  attacked  the  wood  parties  at  Fort  Wallace.  I  will 
at  once  order  the  Cheyennes,  Arapahoes  and  Kiowas  out  of 
your  State  and  into  their  reservations,  and  will  compel  them 
to  go  by  force.  We  will  not  cease  our  efforts  until  the  per- 
petrators of  the  Solomon  massacre  are  delivered  up  for  pun- 


HOSTILE  INDIANS  293 

ishment.     It  may  take  until  the  cold  weather  to  catch  them 
but  we  will  not  cease  till  it  is  accomplished. 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN,  Major  General. 

HEADQUARTERS,  FORT  HARKER,  August  21,  1868. 
Gov.  CRAWFORD: 

In  order  to  rest  in  confidence  and  protect  the  line  of  set- 
tlements north  from  this  point  to  the  Republican,  General 
Sully  will  erect  small  block-houses  on  the  Saline  and  Solomon 
and  Republican,  and  garrison  them  with  a  small  infantry 
force,  and  keep  a  sufficient  force  of  cavalry  scouting  between 
these  different  points. 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN, 
Major  General,  U.  S.  A. 

From  the  bloody  fields  of  the  Solomon  and  Repub- 
lican,  the  Indians  retreated  westward  with  their 
plunder  and  captives  until  they  were  reinforced  by 
other  war  parties  on  the  Republican,  and  tributary 
streams  north  of  Fort  Wallace.  These  several  bands, 
when  united,  numbered  about  one  thousand  warriors; 
well  mounted,  armed,  and  equipped  for  savage  war- 
fare. Simultaneously  with  these  raids  in  Central  and 
Northern  Kansas,  other  tribes  were  raiding  the  con- 
struction parties  on  the  Kansas  Pacific  Railroad  and 
the  overland  routes  of  travel  and  transportation  in 
Western  Kansas. 

BATTLE  OF  THE  ARICKABEE 

On  the  tenth  of  September,  Colonel  George  A.  For- 
sythe,  of  General  Sheridan's  staff,  with  Lieutenant 
Beecher,  Dr.  Moore,  and  forty-seven  scouts  of  daunt- 
less courage  and  unerring  aim,  left  Fort  Wallace  in 
pursuit  of  a  band  of  Cheyennes  which  had  been  com- 
mitting depredations  in  that  vicinity.  The  trail  led 
north  toward  the  Republican  River,  and  as  Forsythe 
advanced,  it  gradually  became  more  and  more  distinct, 
showing  that  the  retreating  Indians  were  being  rein- 
forced from  day  to  day. 

On  the  night  of  September  16  Colonel  Forsythe, 


294  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

with  his  scouts,  encamped  on  Arickaree  Creek,  near  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  State  of  Kansas.  He  had  been 
following  the  trail  for  six  days;  and  occasionally  a 
solitary  Indian  had  been  seen,  but  there  was  nothing 
unusual  to  indicate  the  immediate  presence  of  the  In- 
dians in  large  numbers.  Evidently  those  he  was  pur- 
suing had  formed  a  junction  with  the  main  force  on 
the  Eepublican  and  were  waiting  for  Forsythe  and  his 
scouts. 

At  the  break  of  day  on  the  morning  of  September 
17,  a  small  party  made  a  dash  through  Forsythe 's 
camp  and  captured  some  of  his  horses.  A  few  minutes 
later  about  eight  hundred  warriors  made  their  ap- 
pearance, yelling  like  demons,  and  opened  the  fight  in 
earnest.  Although  Forsythe  had  been  on  their  trail 
for  six  days  and  knew  they  were  being  reinforced  as 
they  retreated,  he  did  not  know  they  were  so  near. 

When  attached  he  moved,  under  fire,  across  the 
creek  to  a  small  island,  with  all  his  men  and  such  of 
his  horses  as  had  not  already  been  captured;  but  he 
left  back  his  pack  animals,  provisions,  and  camp  equip- 
age, which  were  soon  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  The 
island  was  of  sand  formation,  which  enabled  the  men  to 
burrow  and  to  some  extent  protect  themselves.  A 
range  of  low  hills,  however,  enabled  the  Indians  to  ap- 
proach within  easy  range  and  fire  down  at  Forsythe 's 
men.  It  was  an  ordeal  that  trial  men's  souls.  Fifty 
white  men  surrounded  by  eight  hundred  red  devils  in 
war-paint  and  yelling  like  demons. 

Colonel  Forsythe  was  the  first  man  wounded.  "When 
hit,  he  said  nothing,  but  continued  to  direct  the  fire  of 
his  men.  Next  came  two  of  the  veteran  scouts;  then 
the  gallant  young  Beecher  and  Dr.  Moore  were  mor- 
tally wounded.  Others  in  their  turn,  throughout  the 
day,  took  their  medicine  but  no  one  of  the  heroic  band 
faltered  so  long  as  he  was  able  to  load  and  level  his 
gun.  While  Forsythe  and  his  men  were  suffering  and 
slowly  melting  away,  the  redskins  were  being  piled  up 


HOSTILE  INDIANS  295 

on  top  of  each  other  in  their  front.  Thus  the  first  day 
of  the  battle  wore  away  with  about  one-half  of  For- 
sythe's  men  either  dead  or  wounded,  and  all  their 
horses  the  same. 

When  the  mantle  of  night  was  spread  over  that 
bloody  field,  the  war-whoop  died  away  and  everything 
was  still,  save  the  groans  of  the  wounded  and  the  howl- 
ing of  the  wolves.  During  the  night  the  Indians  kept 
a  strong  guard  around  the  little  band  of  scouts  to  pre- 
vent them  from  escaping  or  sending  messengers  for 
relief.  Nevertheless  two  of  the  scouts  —  Jack  Stillwell 
and  Pete  Trudell  —  volunteered  to  take  the  risk  and  go 
for  relief.  It  was  eighty-five  miles  by  a  direct  line  to 
Fort  Wallace,  but  to  avoid  Indians  the  messengers 
would  have  to  travel  a  much  greater  distance. 

At  twelve  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  seventeenth, 
these  two  brave  boys  started  on  their  perilous  journey, 
and  after  many  hairbreadth  escapes  reached  the  main 
road,  fifteen  miles  west  of  Wallace,  on  the  twentieth. 
There  they  met  two  colored  soldiers  with  a  despatch 
for  Colonel  Carpenter,  who  was  then  scouting  with  a 
detachment  of  the  Tenth  Cavalry,  some  seventy  miles 
southwest  of  the  Arickaree  battle-ground.  Stillwell  and 
Trudell  informed  the  messengers  to  Carpenter  of  the 
battle  and  location  of  Colonel  Forsythe,  and  proceeded 
to  Wallace  and  delivered  their  despatches  to  Colonel 
Bankhead,  who  immediately  collected  his  available 
troops  and  started  for  the  scene  of  action. 

Meantime,  however,  the  messengers  to  Carpenter 
on  leaving  Stillwell  and  Trudell  in  the  morning,  put 
spurs  to  their  horses  and  lost  no  time  in  reaching  Car- 
penter. That  gallant  officer,  on  being  informed  of 
Forsythe 's  peril  and  distress,  wheeled  about  and 
moved  rapidly  to  his  relief.  On  the  night  of  the  twen- 
tieth Colonel  Forsythe,  not  having  heard  from  his  first 
messengers,  started  two  more  of  the  scouts  —  Jack 
Donavan  and  A.  J.  Pliley  —  to  Fort  Wallace.  These 
steady,  reliable  young  men  started  at  once ;  on  the  sec- 


296  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

ond  day  out  they  met  Colonel  Carpenter  moving  rap- 
idly to  the  relief  of  Forsythe.  His  arrival  on  the 
bloody  ground  brought  cheers  and  tears  from  the  liv- 
ing, and  prayers  for  the  dead. 

In  this  battle  the  Cheyennes,  Arapahoes,  Kiowas, 
and  Comanches,  paid  dearly  for  the  guns,  pistols,  and 
ammunition  they  secured  from  the  Government  under 
false  pretences  at  Fort  Larned  on  the  third  of  August. 

"While  Forsythe,  Carpenter,  and  Bankhead  were 
thus  operating  in  Northwestern  Kansas,  General  Sully 
was  moving  against  other  bands  in  Southwestern  Kan- 
sas and  the  Indian  Territory,  as  will  be  observed  from 
the  following: 

FORT  HAYS,  KANSAS,  September  10,  1868. 
GOVERNOR  CRAWFORD: 

On  the  7th  instant,  General  Sully  crossed  the  Arkansas 
with  nine  companies  of  cavalry,  after  the  Cheyennes  and 
Arapahoes.  My  object  has  been  to  make  war  on  the  families 
and  stock  of  these  Indians,  and  to  break  them  up  completely 
and  effectually.  This  is  the  only  policy  to  pursue.  I  will 
put  every  available  man  I  have  on  this  duty.  To  attempt  to 
follow  the  small  raiding  parties  who  have  committed  depre- 
dations at  isolated  points  on  the  plains  would  bring  no  satis- 
factory results.  .  .  .  All  the  stock  and  families  of  the  Chey- 
ennes and  Arapahoes  are  south  of  the  Arkansas  River,  and 
General  Sully 's  movement  will  bring  back  all  the  raiding  par- 
ties of  those  bands  operating  north  of  the  river,  for  the  pro- 
tection of  their  own  families. 

Colonels  Forsythe  and  Bankhead  moved  this  morning 
against  Pawnee  Killer,  and  the  bands  connected  with  him, 
who  are  located  on  the  head-waters  of  the  Republican,  and 
are  operating  in  Colorado.  .  .  . 

I  desire  to  state  to  you,  that  as  soon  as  I  can  conscien- 
tiously believe  that  the  means  at  my  command  are  insuffi- 
cient to  accomplish  the  results  above  stated,  I  will  notify  the 
proper  military  authorities,  and  yourself,  so  that  there  may 
be  a  good  reason  for  the  expense  which  may  occur  in  calling 
out  troops. 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN,  Maj.  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 


HOSTILE  INDIANS  297 

Following  this  despatch  came  letters  and  petitions 
telling  of  raids  all  along  the  border,  and  begging  for 
protection;  whereupon  I  telegraphed  Sheridan  as 
follows : 

TOPEKA,  KANSAS,  September  11,  1868. 
GEN.  P.  H.  SHERIDAN, 
Fort  Hays : 

Will  you  issue  to  me,  for  the  State,  five  hundred  stand  of 
Spencer  carbines,  with  accoutrements  and  ammunition?  If 
so,  I  will  at  once  organize  a  battalion  of  picked  men,  well 
mounted,  to  guard  the  border  from  the  Republican  to  the 
Arkansas. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor. 

FORT  HAYS,  September  11,  1868. 
Gov.  CRAWFORD: 

I  will  give  you  the  carbines  and  accoutrements  for  the 
purpose  you  indicate.  Your  proposition  will  give  me  seven 
good  companies  now  on  duty  on  the  frontier. 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN, 
Major  General,  U.  S.  A. 

FORT  HAYS,  KANSAS,  September  13, 1868. 
Gov.  CRAWFORD: 

I  will  let  y'*u  have  five  hundred  Spencer  carbines  and 
accoutrements.  Am  authorized  to  give  you  rations  for  same 
number  of  men  for  two  months.  Should  this  period  be  too 
short  to  accomplish  the  work,  perhaps  we  can  get  it 
extended.  Where  will  you  have  the  carbines?  Send  some 
one  up  on  Monday's  train  to  arrange  with  me  the  points  of 
delivery  of  the  rations.  I  will  require  your  officers'  receipts 
for  the  carbines. 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN, 
Major  General,  U.  S.  A. 

On  receipt  of  this  despatch  I  issued  a  Proclamation 
calling  for  troops,*  in  response  to  which  five  companies 
of  State  Militia,  well  mounted,  armed,  and  equipped, 
were  speedily  organized,  and  stationed  at  suitable 

*See  Appendix. 


KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

points  to  guard  the  frontier  settlements  from  the  Ark- 
ansas River  to  the  Republican.* 

After  these  troops  were  placed  on  duty,  no  further 
depredations  were  committed  on  the  border,  except 
on  one  occasion,  when  a  small  party  slipped  through 
the  lines  and  killed  four  settlers.  But  while  they  were 
thus  engaged,  Captain  Potts,  with  his  company  of 
State  troops,  struck  them  broadside  and  left  but  few  to 
tell  the  tale.  He  pursued  the  survivors  for  many  miles 
and  recaptured  all  the  stolen  horses  and  other  property 
they  had  taken  from  the  settlers. 

While  Potts  was  handling  this  band  without  gloves, 
Captain  Baker  and  his  company  were  in  hot  pursuit  of 
a  part  of  the  same  band  in  the  Saline  Valley,  who  were 
fleeing  for  their  lives.  This  ended  the  campaign  and 
settled  permanently  the  Indian  troubles  in  that  part  of 
the  State. 

The  battalion,  having  completed  its  work,  was  called 
in  and  mustered  out  of  service.  While  in  the  service, 
these  companies  were  ever  on  the  alert  and  ready  for 
action.  They  were  never  taken  by  surprise,  and  for 
that  reason  their  losses  in  killed  and  wounded  were 
comparatively  light.  But  they  did  their  work  effect- 
ively, and  deserve  the  thanks  of  the  State  and  the  ever- 
lasting gratitude  of  those  whose  lives  and  property 
they  protected. 

*  See  Appendix  for  roster  of  Frontier  Battalion. 


CHAPTEE  XXII 

INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS 

ATTEMPTED  STEAL  OF  THE  OSAGE  LANDS LETTER  AND  ME- 
MORIAL TO  U.  S.  SENATE DEFEAT  OF  LAND-GRABBERS 

CHEROKEE    NEUTRAL    LANDS OPPOSED  BY   STATE   OFFI- 
CERS   FRAUDULENT  SALE  OF  THE  SAC  AND  FOX  LANDS. 

WHILE  these  bloody  scenes  of  real  tragedy  were 
being  enacted  in  Central  and  Western  Kansas,  a 
play  in  low  comedy  was  being  rehearsed  behind  the 
screens  in  Washington,  preparatory  to  a  raid  on  the 
Osage  and  Cherokee  neutral  lands  in  Southern  Kansas. 

ATTEMPTED  STEAL  OF  THE  OSAGE  LANDS 

By  treaty  of  the  second  of  June,  1825,  the  United 
States  ceded  and  set  apart  to  the  Osage  tribe  of  In- 
dians, a  reservation  embracing  eight  million  acres,  ex- 
tending from  the  Neosho  Eiver  westward,  with  the 
width  of  fifty  miles.  And  by  treaty  of  December  29, 
1835,  the  United  States  sold  and  conveyed  to  the  Cher- 
okee nation  a  tract  of  eight  hundred  thousand  acres, 
situated  between  the  Osage  lands  and  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri. These  two  reservations,  about  nine  million 
acres,  fell  within  the  State  of  Kansas  when  its  bound- 
aries were  established.  They  were  of  the  best  quality, 
and  the  eyes  of  vultures  were  upon  them. 

By  the  treaty  of  September  29,  1865,  the  Osages 
ceded  to  the  United  States  a  tract,  30  by  50  miles,  off 
the  east  end  of  their  reservation,  which  was  soon  there- 
after opened  to  settlement  under  the  preemption  laws 
at  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  per  acre.  This  left 
to  the  Osages  about  seven  million  acres,  known  as  the 
Osage  Trust  and  Diminished  Reserve  Lands. 

299 


800  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

These  seven  million  acres  are  now  included  in,  and 
constitute  the  greater  part  of  sixteen  counties  in  South- 
ern Kansas,  namely:  Wilson,  Montgomery,  Elk,  Chau- 
tauqua,  Cowley,  Butler,  Sumner,  Sedgwick,  Harper, 
Kingman,  Barbour,  Pratt,  Comanche,  Kiowa,  Clarke, 
and  Ford.  This  vast  body  of  land  was  at  that  time 
worth  many  millions  of  dollars. 

The  Osages,  tinder  the  treaty  of  1825,  had  only  the 
right  of  occupancy,  or  what  was  known  as  the  common 
Indian  title,  while  the  fee  or  real  title  was  in  the  United 
States.  The  purpose  of  the  schemers  was  first  to  buy 
the  Indian  title  for  a  song,  and  then,  by  the  same  care- 
fully worded  treaty,  trick  the  Government  out  of  its 
fee-simple  title,  by  having  the  Senate  ratify  and  con- 
firm the  treaty.  It  was  an  audacious  attempt  on  the 
part  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  and  his  confed- 
erates to  transfer  to  a  railroad  company  by  unheard- 
of  methods  seven  million  acres  of  land  for  a  mere 
bagatelle  in  comparison  to  their  real  value. 

Had  these  lands  been  unoccupied  public  lands  of  the 
United  States,  the  scheme  would  have  been  bad  enough, 
but  they  were  more  than  public  lands.  By  the  Act  ad- 
mitting Kansas  into  the  Union,  every  sixteenth  and 
every  thirty-sixth  section,  embracing  in  the  aggregate 
three  hundred  and  eighty-eight  thousand  acres,  had 
been  granted  to  the  State  for  school  purposes,  and 
thousands  of  settlers  were  then  occupying  other  tracts 
of  the  said  seven  million  acres,  who  were  ready  to  pay 
a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre  for  the  same.  But 
this  previous  grant  to  the  State,  and  the  rights  of  the 
settlers,  were  of  no  consequence  in  the  eyes  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Interior  and  the  persons  for  whose  benefit 
the  lands  were  to  be  secured. 

The  Commissioners  appointed  to  consummate  the 
deal  were  officials  of  the  Indian  Office  and  subject  to 
the  orders  of  the  Secretary.  The  Council  was  con- 
vened on  the  Osage  Reservation  about  May  20, 1868.  I 
was  intending  to  be  present  at  the  Council  to  look  after 


INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS  301 

our  school  land  grant  and  the  interests  of  the  settlers, 
but  when  about  ready  to  start,  I  was  called  to  the  west- 
ern frontier  in  anticipation  of  a  raid  by  the  Cheyennes. 
Not  being  able  to  attend  the  Osage  Council,  I  sent  Pro- 
fessor MacVicar,  State  Superintendent  of  Public  In- 
struction, with  directions  to  inform  the  Commission  of 
our  school  land  grant,  and  also  to  do  what  he  could  to 
protect  the  settlers  residing  on  the  Osage  Reservation. 

The  Professor,  on  arriving  at  the  Council  ground, 
was  promptly  waved  aside,  and  no  attention  was  paid 
to  what  he  said,  nor  to  the  rights  of  the  State  and 
settlers.  Not  being  recognized  by  the  Commission,  he 
established  an  observation  bureau  and  took  notice. 
He  soon  grasped  the  situation  to  some  extent  and  made 
notes  of  what  occurred  from  day  to  day.  When  the 
so-called  treaty  was  signed,  MacVicar  stepped  into  his 
carriage  and  returned  to  Topeka,  bringing  with  him 
a  letter  from  Colonel  Blair,  of  which  the  following  is  a 
copy: 

FORT  SCOTT,  KAN.,  June  3,  1868. 
HON.  S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 
DEAR  Sra: 

You  know,  of  course,  that  the  treaty  in  favor  of  Sturgis 
with  the  Osages  is  completed,  although  I  fought  it  to  the  bit- 
ter end ;  but  you  can  scarcely  conceive  the  threats  and  intimi- 
dation that  were  resorted  to  in  order  to  accomplish  it.  Your 
name,  as  Governor,  was  freely  used  by  them,  they  saying  to 
the  Indians  that  unless  they  signed,  you  would  turn  out  the 
Militia,  drive  them  off  their  Reservation,  or  kill  them,  and 
they  would  never  get  a  cent  for  their  land.  They  knew  I  had 
offered  $400,000  more  than  Sturgis,  and  they  wanted  to  sell 
to  our  road,  as  they  knew  all  our  men  and  had  confidence  in 
them,  but  the  Commissioners  would  not  permit  them. 

This  treaty  is  as  fatal  to  Lawrence  and  Leavenworth  as 
to  us,  if  they  only  knew  it.  Sturgis  is  in  with  Joy,  and  they 
propose  to  construct  a  road  from  Ottawa  to  Kansas  City, 
cross  on  the  bridge,  go  up  Joy's  road  to  the  H.  &  St.  Jo.  E.  R., 
and  thence  to  Chicago,  St.  Louis  freight  branching  off  from 
Kansas  City  by  the  Missouri  Pacific.  He  can  then  take  the 
iron  off  the  Lawrence  branch  and  put  it  down  elsewhere  with 


302  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

but  little  cost,  as  there  are  no  depots,  buildings,  or  telegraph 
lines  to  remove.  By  this  means  they  will  get  for  their 
Ottawa  road  the  Kansas  City  bonds,  the  Johnson  County 
subscription,  and  the  125,000  acres  of  land  which  belongs  to 
our  road ;  and  they  can  run  together  till  they  reach  the  point 
opposite  the  Osage  lands  (for  the  Galveston  road  don't  go 
within  15  miles  of  the  land  just  sold  to  it),  and  then  Joy 
will  take  the  road  on  south,  while  Sturgis  builds  west.  They 
then  expect  to  connect  with  the  S.  W.  Branch  about  the  lead 
mines,  giving  an  outlet  that  way  to  St.  Louis,  and  thus  the 
whole  B.  R.  System  of  the  State  is  utterly  destroyed  and 
beyond  the  possibility  of  change  in  the  future.  Our  Sedalia 
road  will  then,  of  course,  go  straight  south,  seeking  connec- 
tion with  the  Southwest  Branch;  and  the  whole  border  tier 
south  of  Olathe  is  left  on  an  island,  and  can  never  have  a 
main  road  at  any  time  in  the  future. 

The  treaty  makes  no  provision  for  settlers,  schools,  or 
half  breeds,  but  leaves  them  all  at  the  mercy  of  Sturgis; 
whilst  our  road  offered  to  provide  for  all.  There  is  no 
restriction  on  his  purchase.  It  is  a  terrible  injustice  to  the 
hardy  pioneers  and  they  all  feel  it.  At  Hurnboldt  and 
through  that  region,  although  on  the  line  of  the  L.  L.  &  G., 
they  are  as  bitter  against  the  treaty  as  we  are. 

The  lands  thus  treated  for  comprise  nearly  1/5  of  the 
whole  territory  of  the  State  and  are  the  last  chance  for 
endowing  railroads.  There  are  enough  for  three  at  least,  and 
they  should  go  to  our  home  roads;  the  largest  slice,  if  any 
difference,  to  the  one  that  runs  their  whole  length. 

The  treaty  kills  the  A.,  T.,  &  S.  F.  road  as  effectually 
as  ours.  In  short,  it  cheats  the  Indians  and  Government, 
robs  the  pioneers,  destroys  southern  Kansas,  and  completely 
paralyzes  the  railroad  capabilities  of  the  State.  Under  these 
circumstances,  we  feel  that  we  have  a  right  to  call  on  you,  as 
the  Governor  of  the  State,  to  protect  our  interests  by  the 
exercise  of  the  influence  of  your  high  office  and  secure  the 
defeat  of  the  fraudulent  treaty,  if  possible. 

Please  write  to  our  Senators  and  the  Senate  Committee 
on  Indian  Affairs,  unless  your  official  duties  will  allow  you  to 
go  to  Washington  in  person  to  see  to  it,  which  I  suggest  most 
respectfully,  your  duty  to  the  State  requires,  if  it  be  at  all 
possible. 

I  shall  start  to-morrow,  although  I  can  but  ill  bear  the 


INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS  303 

expense,  and  if  you  do  not  come  I  shall  be  happy  to  hear 
from  you. 

I  shall  fight  the  treaty  to  the  last. 

Very  respectfully,  Your  obdt,  servant, 

CHAS.  W.  BLAIR. 

LETTER  AND  MEMOEIAL  TO  U.  S.  SENATE  —  DEFEAT  OF  LAND- 
GRABBERS 

From  Professor  MacVicar  and  others,  I  also  learned 
of  the  nefarious  methods  resorted  to  by  the  Commis- 
sion and  by  the  railroad  magnates  present,  in  their 
desperation  to  secure  the  assent  and  signatures  of  the 
Indians  to  the  treaty.  It  was  difficult,  at  first,  to  pro- 
cure all  the  facts  and  provisions  of  the  treaty,  but  soon 
I  became  satisfied  that  an  attempt  was  being  made  to 
rob  the  State  of  its  schools  lands,  and  the  settlers  of 
their  homes;  and,  so  believing,  I  prepared  and  for- 
warded to  the  parties  therein  mentioned,  a  letter  and 
memorial  as  follows : 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
TOPEKA,  KAN.,  June  9,  1868. 
HON.  B.  F.  WADE,  President  of  the  Senate, 
HON.   S.   C.  POMEROY,  Chairman  Senate  Committee  on 

Public  Lands, 
HON.  GEO.  W.  JULIAN,  Chairman  House  Committee  on 

Public  Lands, 
GENTLEMEN  : 

I  telegraphed  you  yesterday  in  relation  to  the  treaty 
recently  concluded  with  the  Osage  Indians,  and  now  write 
to  furnish  you  additional  facts  concerning  the  same,  as  well 
as  to  solicit  your  influence  in  opposition  to  the  confirmation 
of  the  sale  of  the  Cherokee  Neutral  Lands  in  Kansas,  made 
by  the  late  Secretary  of  the  Interior  to  Mr.  James  F.  Joy 
and  Co. 

These  two  reservations,  you  are  doubtless  aware,  com- 
prise nearly  nine  million  acres  of  land,  the  greater  portion 
of  which  is  as  fertile  and  of  as  great  natural  value  as  any  to 
be  found  in  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

The  Cherokee  treaty,  and  the  attempted  sale  of  lands 
under  its  provisions,  were  infamous  enough;  but  the  recent 
treaty  with  the  Osages  and  the  iniquitous  manner  in  which 


304  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

the  same  was  concluded,  make  the  other  comparatively 
respectable  —  as  much  so,  at  least,  as  one  fraud  can  be  said 
to  become  respectable  by  comparison  with  a  greater. 

There  are  at  present  residing  upon  these  lands  more  than 
10,000  industrious,  enterprising  people,  many  of  whom 
served  in  our  armies  during  the  late  war,  and  afterwards 
emigrated  thither  for  the  sole  purpose  of  securing  homes 
for  themselves  and  their  families. 

The"  manner  in  which  this  treaty,  which  completely 
ignores  the  rights  of  these  people,  as  well  as  the  substantial 
and  permanent  interests  of  the  State,  was  brought  about  is 
simply  disgraceful  to  all  concerned  in  it;  and  if  sanctioned 
by  the  Senate,  will  prove  a  lasting  disgrace  to  the  Govern- 
ment. A  price  largely  in  excess  of  the  one  accepted  was 
offered  for  the  lands,  but  the  offer  was  peremptorily,  if  not 
contemptuously,  declined.  The  Indians  themselves  were 
strongly  averse  to  the  treaty,  but  were  finally  influenced  to 
assent  to  it  by  solicitations  and  threats.  I  am  reliably 
informed  that  it  was  represented  to  them  that  the  Governor 
of  the  State  would,  unless  they  disposed  of  and  removed  from 
their  lands,  attack  them  with  militia,  and  either  kill  or  drive 
them  off. 

Of  course,  the  details  of  the  treaty  will  not  be  definitely 
known  until  after  the  Senate  shall  have  acted  upon  it;  but 
its  principal  provisions  have  been  sufficiently  ascertained  to 
show  conclusively  that  the  whole  affair  was  a  flagrant  out- 
rage, and  that  the  means  resorted  to  by  the  Commission,  and 
by  other  interested  parties,  to  obtain  the  assent  of  the 
Indians,  were  infamous  and  disgraceful. 

Referring  you  to  the  enclosed  memorial  of  the  State 
officers  against  the  ratification  of  this  treaty,  and  trusting 
that  you  will  use  your  influence  to  defeat  a  scheme  which  is 
so  full  of  wrong  and  outrage  to  this  State  and  to  her  people, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully, 
Your  obdt.  servant, 

SAMUEL  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Governor  of  Kansas. 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
TOPEKA,  KAN.,  June  9,  1S68. 
To  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  : 

"We,  the  undersigned  Executive  Officers  of  the  State  of 


INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS  305 

Kansas,  most  respectfully  memorialize  your  honorable  body 
against  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  recently  concluded  with 
the  Osage  Indians,  whereby  they  agree  to  cede  the  lands  now 
held  by  them  in  this  State  to  the  Leavenworth,  Lawrence,  and 
Galveston  Railroad  Company,  on  the  following  grounds,  to 
wit: 

First.  That  the  Osages  were  induced  to  conclude  the 
treaty  by  threats  and  false  representations,  whereby  they 
were  made  to  believe  that  it  was  the  design  of  the  State 
authorities  to  make  war  upon  them  and  either  kill  them  or 
drive  them  from  their  Reservation. 

Second.  That  the  price  agreed  to  be  paid  is  grossly  inad- 
equate to  the  value  of  the  lands;  that  a  much  larger  price 
was  offered;  that  the  payments  are  extended  over  a  long 
series  of  years ;  and  that  the  final  consummation  of  the  treaty 
would  be  a  flagrant  robbery  of  the  Indians. 

Third.  That  no  provision  is  made  in  the  treaty  for  the 
benefit  of  Schools,  or  in  the  interest  of  the  settlers  who  have 
gone  upon  the  lands  and  made  improvements;  but  that  both 
these  interests  are  remitted  to  the  tender  mercies  of  specula- 
tors and  monopolists. 

Fourth.  That  the  lands  thus  ceded  comprise  nearly 
one-fifth  of  the  area  of  the  entire  State,  the  whole  of  which 
will  be  withheld  from  settlement  and  development,  except 
upon  such  terms  as  the  monopolists  may  dictate. 

Fifth.  That  the  success  of  this  fraud  will  tend  to  retard 
immigration,  thus  militating  against  the  best  interests  of  this 
State,  as  well  as  of  the  country  at  large. 

Sixth.  That  the  persons  who  will  derive  the  chief  bene- 
fits of  this  treaty  .are  strangers  to  the  State,  and  in  no  wise 
identified  with  its  interests. 

Seventh.  That  they  believe  the  whole  system  of  permit- 
ting or  encouraging  the  Indians  to  cede  to  private  corpora- 
tions is  pernicious;  that  in  extinguishing  Indian  titles  the 
Government  should  become  the  purchaser,  permitting  the 
settlers  to  procure  titles  at  the  minimum  rate,  withdrawing 
from  sale  when  the  aggregate  of  the  purchase  money  shall 
have  been  realized,  and  then  allowing  the  preemption  and 
homestead  laws  to  operate  as  in  other  cases. 

For  these  and  other  reasons  which  might  be  enumerated, 
the  undersigned  respectfully  request  the  Senate  to  negative 


306  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

the  treaty  recently  concluded  with  Osages,  and  which  has 
been  or  will  be  submitted  for  their  consideration. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Governor. 
R.  A.  BARKER, 

Secretary  of  State. 
J.  R.  SWALLOW, 

Auditor  of  State. 
M.  ANDERSON, 

State  Treasurer. 
GEORGE  H.  HOYT, 

Attorney  General. 
P.  MACVICAR, 

Superintendent 

Public  Instruction. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  I  wrote  similar  letters 
to  President  Johnson,  Senator  Henderson  of  Missouri, 
Senator  Ross  of  Kansas,  and  Sidney  Clarke  of  the 
House  Indian  Committee.  I  also  sent  the  Attorney 
General  of  the  State  to  Washington  to  oppose  the  rat- 
ification of  the  treaty,  which  he  did  with  energy  and  de- 
termination. On  the  tenth  of  June  I  wrote  General 
Blair  as  follows : 

EXECUTIVE   OFFICE, 
TOPEKA,  KANSAS,  June  10,  1868. 
GEN.  C.  W.  BLAIR, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
MY  DEAR  SIR: 

Your  favor  of  the  3rd  is  received.  I  have  written  and 
telegraphed  Senators  Wade,  Pomeroy  and  Ross,  and  also  Mr. 
Julian,  Chairman  of  the  Land  Committee  in  the  House, 
earnestly  soliciting  their  influence  against  the  ratification  of 
the  treaty  recently  concluded  with  the  Osage  Indians. 

I  trust  now  with  what  has  been  done  you  will  be  able  to 
defeat  the  treaty.  It  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  infamous 
outrages  ever  before  attempted  in  this  country,  and  if 
endorsed  by  the  Senate,  would  prove  a  lasting  disgrace  to  the 
Government. 

The  Cherokee  Neutral  treaties,  which  virtually  robbed 
thousands  of  settlers  of  their  homes  and  made  them  suppli- 


INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS  307 

cants  at  the  feet  of  a  land  monopoly,  were  bad  enough,  but 
God  knows  they  will  not  in  any  way  compare  to  this  Osage 
swindle.  No  adequate  provisions  have  been  made  for  any 
portion  of  the  settlers,  and  no  provisions  whatever  made 
for  our  common  schools.  These  alone  should  be  sufficient  to 
down  the  whole  thing. 

Yours  truly, 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Governor. 

With  this  information  before  them  George  W. 
Julian  of  Indiana,  Chairman  of  the  House  Committee 
on  Public  Lands,  and  Judge  Lawrence  of  Ohio,  opened 
with  Gatling  guns  and  riddled  the  treaty  until  it  be- 
came a  stench,  and  was  finally  withdrawn  from  the 
Senate. 

CHEROKEE  NEUTRAL  LANDS 

While  this  attempt  to  rob  the  Government,  the 
State  of  Kansas,  the  Osage  Indians,  and  settlers  on  the 
Osage  lands,  was  being  prosecuted  with  vigor,  a  sim- 
ilar fraud  was  being  perpetrated  by  a  gang  of  boodlers, 
on  the  Cherokee  Indians  and  several  thousand  bona 
fide  settlers  on  the  Cherokee  Neutral  Lands  in  South- 
east Kansas. 

As  heretofore  stated  the  Cherokee  nation,  by  the 
treaty  of  December  29,  1835,  purchased  eight  hundred 
thousand  acres  lying  between  the  said  Osage  Reserva- 
tion and  the  State  of  Missouri.  By  the  treaty  of  1866 
the  Cherokee  nation  authorized  the  United  States  to 
sell  these  so-called  neutral  lands  in  trust  for  the  Chero- 
kee people. 

Knowing  that  the  Government  had  a  right  to  sell 
these  lands,  and  naturally  assuming  that  they  would  be 
sold  to  actual  bona  fide  settlers  at  a  dollar  and  a 
quarter  per  acre  —  as  other  public  lands  were  sold  —  a 
large  number  of  qualified  preemptors  moved  upon  said 
lands,  selected  each  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  built 
homes,  planted  orchards,  and  began  improving  their 
farms. 


KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

A  powerful  combination  of  land-grabbers  —  known 
as  the  American  Emigrant  Company  —  with  head- 
quarters at  Des  Moines,  Iowa  (the  home  of  Jas.  Har- 
lan, then  Secretary  of  the  Interior),  set  their  active 
brains  to  work,  devising  ways  and  means  whereby  they 
might  purchase  these  lands  (eight  hundred  thousand 
acres)  in  a  body,  at  one-tenth  of  their  real  value. 

This  company,  having  secured  the  active  support  of 
public  spirited  gentlemen  in  the  two  Houses  of  Con- 
gress, applied  to  and  purchased  from  the  Hon.  James 
Harlan,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  the  entire  tract  at 
one  dollar  per  acre,  to  be  paid  for  at  the  convenience 
of  the  purchasing  company.  This  was  said  to  be  one 
of  the  last  official  acts  of  Secretary  Harlan.  The  pur- 
chase was  dated  back,  to  cover  accidents  and  show 
vested  rights  antedating  the  rights  of  the  settlers. 

The  deal  was  consummated  at  the  dead  hour  of 
midnight,  without  authority  of  law,  and  in  violation  of 
every  principle  of  right,  justice,  and  humanity.  But  it 
was  sanctioned  by  the  coterie  of  public  spirited  pa- 
triots in  Congress,  who  usually  looked  out  for  the  main 
chance. 

Having  signed,  sealed,  and  delivered  the  bill  of  sale 
for  this  vast  body  of  land  to  the  American  Emigrant 
Company,  Secretary  Harlan  threw  open  the  doors  of 
the  Interior  Department  to  his  successor,  the  Hon.  0. 
H.  Browning,  who  walked  in  and  immediately  sent  for 
the  papers  in  the  matter  of  the  sale  of  the  Cherokee 
Neutral  Lands  by  his  predecessor.  Browning  was  a 
lawyer,  and  it  did  not  take  him  long  to  discover  that 
in  the  attempted  sale  of  the  neutral  lands  by  Secretary 
Harlan,  the  law  had  been  violated,  and  a  fraud  com- 
mitted. He  therefore,  as  his  first  official  act,  declared 
the  sale  null  and  void. 

That  set  the  gang,  in  and  out  of  Congress,  howling. 
It  was,  in  their  estimation,  an  overt  act  of  treason,  for 
which  they  were  going  to  have  Andy  Johnson  im- 
peached. This  method  of  getting  even,  however,  was 


INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS  309 

not  sanctioned  by  the  older  heads.  They  thought  they 
could  find  a  way  out  by  another  road  that  would  an- 
swer the  same  purpose  and  save  the  plunder.  The 
Osage  swindle  —  called  a  treaty  —  was  still  hanging 
in  the  balance  and  being  riddled  with  hot  shot,  and  it 
would  not  do,  as  they  put  it,  *  *  to  stir  up  another  hor- 
net's  nest."  So  they  began  to  cast  about  and  rea- 
son among  themselves  as  to  the  safest  method  of 
procedure. 

Some  wanted  to  go  direct  to  the  President  and  offer 
him  a  compaign  contribution  that  would  insure  his  re- 
election. But  the  ' '  Old  Subsidies, ' '  about  the  Capital, 
said  no,  that  might  involve  them  in  a  scandal  and  en- 
danger their  own  reelection.  Others  thought  it  best  to 
go  to  the  new  Secretary  and  lay  the  matter  before  him 
as  simply  a  grant  of  lands  to  aid  in  the  construction  of 
railroads  that  would  compensate  the  settlers  for  the 
loss  of  their  homes. 

That  seemed  more  feasible,  but  the  question  was, 
Who  will  be  the  proper  person  to  approach  the  Secre- 
tary? Harlan  could  not  do  it,  because  he  had  made 
the  sale  that  was  set  aside,  and  his  pride  was  mortally 
wounded ;  Grinnell  could  not  do  it,  because  he  was  Pres- 
ident of  Harlan 's  company,  and  the  Secretary  had  re- 
fused to  see  him;  Sturgis  could  not  do  it,  because  he 
was  regarded  as  a  straw  man ;  Pomeroy  could  not  go, 
because  he  had  voted  against  impeachment,  and  had 
no  influence  with  Secretary  Browning;  Sidney  Clarke 
could  not  do  it,  because  he  had  been  on  both  sides  of 
the  Osage  treaty,  and  was  supporting  the  Cherokee 
treaty  in  Washington  and  opposed  to  it  in  Kansas; 
Senator  Boss  could  not  go,  because  he  wanted  the  lands 
sold  to  actual  settlers  at  $1.25  per  acre. 

Therefore,  to  use  a  slang  phrase,  the  schemers  were 
up  against  it.  But  not  long  did  they  have  to  tarry. 
Some  one,  skilled  in  the  science  of  official  boodlery,  dis- 
covered a  way  out.  James  F.  Joy,  who  was  said  to 
have  a  finger  in  the  Osage  pie  and  to  be  a  relative  of 


810  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

Secretary  Browning,  was  thought  to  be  the  man  of  all 
men  to  manage  the  Interior  Department  and  bring  or- 
der out  of  chaos.  In  due  time  he  was  hastened  to 
the  scene  of  action,  and  a  new  deal  was  speedily 
consummated. 

The  Cherokee  delegates  then  in  the  City  of  Wash- 
ington —  and  as  corrupt  as  Satan  —  were  willing  to  do 
what  they  could  "  for  the  good  of  the  cause."  Sec- 
retary Browning,  having  revoked  and  set  aside  the  sale 
of  said  lands  by  his  predecessor,  immediately  turned 
around  and  sold  the  same  lands  to  James  F.  Joy  on 
terms  similar  to  the  Harlan  deal.  That  sale  was  sat- 
isfactory to  all  parties  interested,  except  the  settlers 
who  were  being  robbed  of  their  homes.  But  that  sale, 
like  Harlan 's  deal  with  the  Emigrant  Company,  was 
made  without  authority  of  law,  and  could  not  be- 
come valid  and  binding  without  the  approval  of  Con- 
gress. 

The  beneficiaries  under  both  deals,  having  pooled 
their  interests  and  sworn  allegiance  to  each  other,  pre- 
pared an  Act  which  they  called  a  treaty,  ratifying  and 
confirming  the  consolidated  fraud.  This  so-called 
treaty  was  submitted  to  the  Senate  and  supported  by 
the  Kansas  delegation  in  both  Houses  of  Congress.  It 
was  a  cheat  and  a  fraud  in  every  particular,  and  should 
have  been  encircled  with  hell's  blackest  marks.  The 
pretended  authority  for  this  gigantic  swindle  was  a 
proviso  in  Article  17  of  the  Cherokee  treaty  of  July  19, 
1866,  which  reads  as  follows: 

Provided,  that  nothing  in  this  article  shall  prevent  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  from  selling  the  whole  of  said  lands 
not  occupied  by  actual  settlers  at  the  date  of  the  ratification 
of  this  treaty,  not  exceeding  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  to 
each  person  entitled  to  preemption  under  the  preemption 
laws  of  the  United  States,  in  a  body,  to  any  responsible  party, 
for  cash,  for  a  sum  not  less  than  one  dollar  per  acre. 

The  manifest  intent  and  purpose  of  this  treaty  was 
to  have  the  lands  sold  in  tracts  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  to  qualified  preemptors  for  cash.  Certainly 


INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS  311 

the  treaty  did  not  authorize  the  Secretary  of  the  In- 
terior to  sell  the  land  on  time  payments ;  and  yet  that 
is  what  Secretary  Halan  attempted  to  do.  Secretary 
Browning,  as  already  shown,  being  shocked  at  Har- 
lan's  utter  disregard  of  the  law,  signalized  his  advent 
into  office,  by  revoking  the  sale  and  selling  the  same 
lands  to  his  friend  Joy  —  provided  he  could  get  Con- 
gress to  ratify  his  illegal  act.  The  sale  of  the  same 
tract  of  land  by  two  Secretaries  to  two  different  par- 
ties, without  authority,  was  rather  an  unusual  pro- 
ceeding. The  transactions  caused  a  good  many  old- 
fashioned  people  and  about  five  thousand  settlers  on 
the  lands  to  sit  up  and  take  notice.  Nevertheless  the 
stake  was  too  valuable  to  be  lost  without  an  effort. 
Therefore  the  boodlers,  as  heretofore  shown,  pooled 
their  issue  and  appealed  to  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States  to  help  them  out. 

That  the  reader  may  understand  their  methods 
from  the  wording  of  their  appeal  —  which  they  called 
a  *  *  Supplemental  Treaty  '  - 1  copy  the  marvellous 
document  in  full,  which  is  reproduced  in  the  Appendix. 

This  so-called  treaty  was  manifestly  drawn  to  har- 
monize conflicting  interests  among  the  boodlers.  It 
ratified  and  confirmed  everything  that  had  been  done, 
legal  or  otherwise,  by  the  two  Secretaries  and  the  two 
purchasing  parties.  According  to  this  treaty,  Secre- 
tary Harlan  sold  these  eight  hundred  thousand  acres 
to  his  Emigrant  Company  on  August  30,  1866,  just 
nineteen  days  after  the  original  Cherokee  treaty  was 
ratified. 

That  sale,  if  valid  or  subsequently  made  valid  by 
the  Senate,  shut  out  settlers  from  the  day  it  was  made. 
Hence  it  was  important  to  validate  it  and  authorize  the 
Company  to  assign  their  contract  to  James  F.  Joy,  be- 
cause most  of  the  settlers  on  the  land  had  entered  and 
made  settlement  after  August  30, 1866.  In  all  respects 
it  was  an  infamous  transaction,  which  went  hand  in 
hand  with  the  Osage  swindle,  that  was  then  pending 
before  the  Senate. 


312  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

OPPOSED  BY  STATE  OFFICERS 

The  State  authorities  fought  both  schemes  as  best 
they  could,  but  with  Pomeroy  in  the  Senate  actively 
supporting  both  treaties,  and  Sidney  Clarke  —  the 
sole  Representative  from  Kansas  —  in  the  House,  play- 
ing hide-and-seek,  it  was  difficult  to  make  headway 
against  such  a  powerful  combination.  In  February, 
1868,  I  wrote  the  Hon.  George  W.  Julian,  Chairman 
of  the  House  Committee  on  Public  Lands  as  follows : 

EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT, 
TOPEKA,  KAN.,  Feb.  20,  1868. 
HON.  GEO.  W.  JULIAN, 

Ch.  Com.  on  Public  Lands, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
SIR: 

I  enclose  herewith  a  copy  of  a  resolution  adopted  by  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  the  Kansas  and  Neosho  Valley  Rail- 
road Company,  relating  to  the  Cherokee  neutral  lands,  to 
which  I  invite  your  attention. 

I  protest,  as  the  Legislature  has  protested,  against  placing 
the  bona  fide  settlers  on  these  lands  in  the  power  of  the  pur- 
chasers, with  the  right  to  impose  upon  them  a  high  price  for 
the  homesteads  on  which  they  have  settled  in  good  faith. 

Congress  should  take  some  steps  to  protect  the  settlers, 
either  by  annulling  the  contract  of  sale,  or  otherwise.  They 
have  gone  upon  these  lands  and  made  their  improvements,  in 
the  fullest  faith  that  they  would  be  permitted  to  secure  titles 
from  the  Government  at  a  cost  not  exceeding  a  dollar  and 
a  quarter  per  acre. 

The  number  of  these  settlers  is  quite  large ;  they  feel 
justly  sensitive  upon  finding  themselves  apparently  in  the 
power  of  speculators;  and  I  feel  quite  certain  that  an 
attempt  to  exact  from  them  the  prices  named  in  the  resolu- 
tion of  the  Eailroad  Company  will  result  in  trouble. 

I  trust,  therefore,  that  Congress  will  feel  it  to  be  its  duty 
to  devise  and  enact  some  measure  of  relief  for  the  settlers. 

I  also  enclose  a  copy  of  my  late  Message  and  refer  par- 
ticularly to  that  portion  which  treats  of  this  subject. 
Very  respectfully,  Your  obdt.  servant, 
(Signed)  S.  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor. 


INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS  313 

I  also  wrote  similar  letters  to  Senators  Pomeroy, 
Ross,  John  B.  Henderson,  and  others.  The  following 
was  my  last  despatch  on  the  subject. 

EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT, 
TOPEKA,  KAN.,  July  25,  1868. 
HON.  E.  G.  Ross, 
TJ.  S.  Senate, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

If  the  Cherokee  Supplemental  Treaty  is  ratified,  it  will 
deprive  the  State  of  47,000  acres  of  school  land,  and  place 
thousands  of  settlers  at  the  mercy  of  Joy  and  his  Railroad 
Company.  I  trust  you  may  be  able  to  defeat  it. 

SAM'L  J.  CRAWFORD. 

Nevertheless,  the  treaty  was  ratified;  and  most  of 
the  officials  who  helped  to  consummate  the  fraud  are 
now  dead. 

In  the  making  of  these  treaties  with  the  Osages  and 
Cherokees,  the  officials  of  the  Indian  Office  who  were 
appointed  or  detailed  for  the  purpose,  should  not  be 
held  responsible  for  the  objectionable  provisions.  They 
simply  carried  out  their  instructions  from  higher  au- 
thority. They  were  directed  to  take  the  treaties, 
which  had  already  been  prepared,  and  have  them 
signed  by  the  Indians ;  and  that  was  the  extent  of  their 
interest.  Secretary  Browning  and  ex-Secretary  Har- 
lan  were  responsible  for  both  treaties ;  and  the  know- 
ing ones  in  the  Senate,  who  understood  the  object  and 
purpose  of  the  schemes,  were  the  responsible  parties 
in  that  body. 

Having  lost  out  on  this  Cherokee  treaty,  the  State 
subsequently  applied  to  Congress,  and  received  au- 
thority to  select  indemnity  lands  in  lieu  of  school  sec- 
tions, lost  by  reason  of  the  ratification  of  the  Cherokee 
treaty.  The  settlers  had  the  privilege  of  either  mov- 
ing off,  or  paying  Joy  and  his  gang  a  handsome  bonus 
for  their  homes,  which  they  should  have  been  allowed 
to  purchase  from  the  Government  at  one  dollar  and 
a  quarter  per  acre. 


314  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

Thus  ended  a  dark  chapter  in  the  early  history  of 
Kansas.  Some  of  the  actors  prospered  for  a  time  and 
then  went  down  and  out  in  poverty.  Others  paid  a 
more  costly  penalty;  while  one  of  the  leading  actors 
lost  his  reason  and  became  an  object  of  pity.  The 
mills  of  the  gods  grind  slow ;  but  they  grind  -  and 
sometimes  exceedingly  fine.  Retribution  in  those  days 
was  swift  and  severe. 

FBAUDTJLENT    SALE    OF    THE    SAC    AND   FOX   LANDS 

Previous  to  this  wholesale  raid  by  Joy  and  the 
American  Emigrant  Company  on  the  Osage  and  Cher- 
okee Neutral  Lands,  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior 
had  sold  —  under  sealed  bids  —  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  In- 
dian lands  situated  in  Osage  and  Lyon  Counties,  two 
hundred  and  sixty-three  thousand,  three  hundred  and 
thirty-nine  acres,  as  follows: 

To  Wm.  R.  McKean,  29,677  acres  at  64  cents  per  acre. 
To  Fuller  &  McDonald,  39,058  acres  at  73  cents  per  acre. 
To  Robt.  S.  Stevens,  51,689  acres  at  71  cents  per  acre. 
To  John  McManus,  142,915  acres  at  $1.09  per  acre. 

which  was  an  average  of  ninety-one  cents  per  acre 
while  the  settlers  bid  from  five  to  seven  dollars  per 
acre. 

This,  however,  was  a  small  affair  as  compared  with 
the  Osage  deal.  The  settlers'  sealed  bids  in  some  way 
failed  to  reach  their  destination,  while  the  bids  of 
11  responsible  "  parties  were  promptly  received. 

The  purchasers  were  liberal,  if  not  generous.  The 
settlers,  who  were  able,  were  permitted  to  buy  the 
lands  they  occupied  at  prices  ranging  from  five  to 
seven  dollars  per  acre.  Some  of  them  by  reason  of 
short  crops  could  not  make  the  required  payment, 
whereupon  they  were  ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Interior  to  vacate  and  go  thence.  Some  of  them  had 
exhausted  their  means,  and  could  not  go.  Then  the 
War  Department  was  asked  to  drive  them  off  with 


INDIAN  LAND  FRAUDS  315 

the  army.  In  some  countries  that  would  have  pro- 
duced bloodshed;  but  not  so  here.  The  settlers  were 
law-abiding  people,  and  they  had  faith  that  the  wrong 
would  be  righted. 

General  Grant  complied  with  the  official  request  of 
the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  for  the  removal  of  the 
settlers,  by  issuing  the  necessary  orders ;  but  the  U.  S. 
troops  then  in  Kansas  were  looking  after  hostile  In- 
dians on  the  frontier,  and  not  much  headway  was  made 
in  dispossessing  the  settlers.  In  fact  the  troops  — 
both  officers  and  men  —  detested  that  kind  of  scaven- 
ger work. 

Nevertheless,  the  parties  who  had  bought  these 
lands,  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  who  had  sold 
them  from  under  the  settlers  at  ninety-one  cents  per 
acre,  were  clamorous  to  have  the  settlers  removed  or 
compelled  to  pay  an  exorbitant  price  for  their  home- 
steads. The  request  was  renewed  in  1868,  when  Gen- 
eral Grant  again  directed  General  Sheridan  to  see 
that  his  orders  were  executed.  On  receipt  of  this  order 
General  Sheridan  informed  me  that  he  had  directed 
the  settlers  that  they  must  go  at  once;  whereupon  I 
sent  the  following  despatch  to  General  Grant: 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
TOPEKA,  KAN.,  June  4,  1868. 
GEN.  U.  S.  GRANT, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

I  do  earnestly  request  that  you  suspend  the  execution  of 
your  orders  to  Gen.  Sherman  of  date  1866-67  (directing  him 
to  inquire  into  and  remove  settlers  from  Indian  reservations 
in  Kansas)  until  the  facts  can  be  reported  by  mail.  Col. 
M.  V.  Sheridan  is  now  engaged  in  this  work.  He  had 
ordered  the  settlers  to  leave  the  Sac  and  Fox  Reservation  by 
Saturday  next,  which  if  persisted  in  will  inflict  great  suffer- 
ing upon  these  poor  people,  who  will  be  thrown  upon  the 
prairie  without  any  means  upon  which  to  subsist  their  fam- 
ilies; and  no  possible  good  can  result  to  the  Government  or 
Indians  from  the  execution  of  these  orders. 

SAM  'L  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor. 


316  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

After  this,  General  Sheridan  was  recalled,  and  the 
settlers  were  allowed  more  time  either  to  pay  for  their 
lands  or  remove  elsewhere.  Most  of  them  moved  away 
and  started  in  life  anew. 

The  treaty  providing  for  the  sale  of  the  Sac  and 
Fox  lands  in  Kansas  was  a  transparent  fraud,  and 
never  should  have  been  ratified  by  the  Senate ;  and  the 
same  is  true  of  the  treaty  with  the  Ottawa  and  Kaw 
tribes.  The  truth  is,  the  Indian  policy  then  and  for 
many  years  thereafter,  was  all-round  bad.  It  led  to 
many  Indian  wars,  massacres,  and  crimes  too  hor- 
rible to  relate.  It  led  to  such  treaties  as  I  have  men- 
tioned, and  to  the  robbery  of  both  Indians  and  settlers 
by  wholesale. 


CHAPTER  XXIH 

FALL   AND    WINTEB   CAMPAIGN    OF    1868-69 

EESIGNATION  AS  GOVERNOR OFF  TO  CAMP  SUPPLY CUS- 

TER's    FIGHT    WITH    BAND    OF    CHEYENNES CAPTIVES 

SLAIN GENERAL       SHERIDAN 's       ACCOUNT SURREN- 
DER OF  INDIAN  CHIEFS COL.  MOORE 's  REPORT  ON  THE 

PURSUIT   AND    RELEASE    OF    CAPTIVES THE    MISTAKEN 

POLICY  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT. 

SCARCELY  had  the  battle  over  the  Osage  and  Cher- 
O  okee  treaties  closed  when  the  hostile  Indians  re- 
newed their  savagery  in  Western  Kansas.  They  did 
not  venture  down  to  the  settlements  along  the  border, 
except  in  their  attack  on  the  Kaws  at  Council  Grove 
and  in  Northwest  Kansas,  but  confined  their  depreda- 
tions to  overland  travel  and  transportation  along  the 
Kansas  Pacific  Eailroad,  Smoky  Hill  River,  and  the 
old  Santa  Fe  Trail  leading  to  Colorado  and  New 
Mexico. 

The  Peace  Commission  had  been  making  strenuous 
efforts  to  quiet  them  down  and  induce  them  to  return 
to  their  reservations  in  the  Indian  Territory,  but  the 
noble  redskins  said,  "  No."  They  wanted  more  scalps, 
horses,  mules,  and  other  valuables.  Like  Logan  of  old, 
peace  troubled  their  minds,  and  having  been  supplied 
with  arms,  ammunition,  provisions,  clothing,  and  war- 
paint, by  the  Government  and  the  Indian  traders,  they 
were  now  ready  for  the  war-path. 

When  they  appeared  in  full  dress  and  ready  for  a 
Fall  campaign,  General  Hazen  suddenly  discovered 
that  they  had  been  trifling  with  him,  and  so  notified 
General  Sheridan,  who  immediately  telegraphed  me 
as  follows : 

317 


818  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

FORT  HAYS,  KANSAS,  October  8,  1868. 
Gov.  CRAWFORD: 

Gen.  Hazen  has  informed  me  that  the  friendly  overtures 
which  were  made  to  the  Kiowas  and  Comanehes  at  Larned, 
on  the  nineteenth  and  twentieth  of  September,  1868,  have 
failed  to  secure  peace  with  them,  or  removal  to  their  reserva- 
tion ;  and  I  am  authorized  to  muster  in  one  regiment  of  cav- 
alry from  your  State  for  a  period  of  six  months.  I  will 
communicate  further  with  you  on  the  subject  on  receipt  of 
additional  instruction  from  Gen.  Sherman. 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN, 
Maj.  Gen.  U.  S.  A. 

This  was  exactly  what  I  had  been  expecting. 
Everybody  familiar  with  the  character  and  habits  of 
the  wild  tribes  knew  that  the  young  Kiowas  and  Com- 
anches  had  been  with  the  Cheyennes,  Arapahoes,  and 
Apaches  on  the  war-path  from  the  day  they  drew 
their  arms  and  ammunition  from  the  Government  in 
August. 

General  Hazen  should  have  known  it,  but  he  was  a 
good-natured,  easy  victim  for  the  treacherous  Indians. 
They  had  been  loitering  around  Forts  Larned  and 
Dodge  all  Spring,  drawing  rations  and  clothing  from 
the  Government,  and  promising  to  return  to  their  res- 
ervations, if  the  authorities  would  give  them  arms  and 
ammunition.  Sheridan,  at  first,  would  not  listen  to 
their  demands;  but  finally  he  yielded  when  General 
Sully  and  the  Indian  Agents  vouched  for  the  good 
faith  of  the  Indians. 

As  already  stated,  the  guns,  pistols,  and  ammuni- 
tion were  issued  at  Larned  on  the  third  of  August,  and 
within  three  days  the  Indians  were  on  the  Smoky  Hill 
and  along  the  Kansas  Pacific  Railroad  murdering,  rob- 
bing, and  scalping  white  people  indiscriminately.  On 
the  fourteenth  they  attacked  the  settlements  in  the 
Saline,  Solomon,  and  Republican  Valleys,  and  left  a 
trail  of  blood  and  smoking  ruins  behind  them. 

That  should  have  convinced  General  Hazen  that 
they  could  not  be  trusted.  But  it  did  not.  Having 


CAMPAIGN  OP  1868-69  319 

waged  a  horrible  war  on  the  settlements  and  over  the 
plains  for  two  months,  and  having  run  out  of  ammuni- 
tion, they  returned  to  Fort  Lamed  with  the  scalps  of 
their  victims  dangling  from  their  belts.  There  they 
made  loud  professions  of  friendship,  and  begged  for 
more  ammunition  with  which  to  Mil  game  for  food, 
while  en  route  to  their  reservations.  Again  they  were 
supplied,  and  again  they  were  on  the  war-path.  Hence 
General  Hazen  's  despatch  to  Sheridan. 

This  settled  the  question  as  to  the  advisability  of  a 
Fall  and  Winter  campaign.  It  was  understood  by  all 
that  the  hostile  Indians  would  have  to  be  driven  to 
their  winter  haunts  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
Indian  Territory  and  punished  severely  in  order  to 
subdue  and  keep  them  on  their  reservations. 

General  Sherman,  therefore,  having  lost  confidence 
in  the  Peace  Commission,  and  all  patience  with  the  In- 
dians, directed  General  Sheridan  to  proceed.  On  re- 
ceipt of  authority  the  General  telegraphed  me  as 
follows : 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  MISSOURI, 

IN  THE  FIELD,  FORT  HAYS,  Oct.  9,  1868. 
His  EXCELLENCY  S.  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor  of  Kansas: 

Under  directions  received  through  Lieutenant  General 
"W.  T.  Sherman,  commanding  Military  Division  of  the  Mis- 
souri, from  the  Hon.  Secretary  of  "War,  I  am  authorized  to 
call  on  you  for  one  (1)  regiment  of  mounted  volunteers,  to 
serve  for  a  period  of  six  (6)  months,  unless  sooner  dis- 
charged, against  hostile  Indians  on  the  plains.  I  therefore 
request  that  you  furnish  said  regiment  as  speedily  as  possible, 
to  be  rendezvoused  and  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States  at  Topeka,  Kansas. 

The  regiment  to  consist  of  one  colonel,  one  lieutenant- 
colonel,  three  majors,  twelve  captains,  twelve  first-lieutenants, 
twelve  second-lieutenants,  twelve  companies  of  one  hundred 
(100)  men  each,  including  the  required  number  of  non-com- 
missioned officers  specified  in  the  United  States  Army  Regu- 
lations (1863),  the  pay,  allowances,  and  emoluments  of  officers 
and  men  to  be  the  same  as  that  of  United  States  troops. 

The  men  will  be  rationed  from  the  time  of  their  arrival 


320 

at  the  rendezvous,  and  will  be  furnished  with  arms,  equip- 
ments, horses,  and  clothing  from  the  date  of  muster  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient 
servant, 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN, 
Major  General,  U.  S.  A. 

On  receipt  of  this  despatch  I  immediately  issued  a 
call  for  troops.* 

The  response  to  this  Proclamation  was  made  with 
alacrity,  and  a  regiment  of  twelve  hundred  men  speed- 
ily recruited  and  mustered  into  the  United  States  serv- 
ice for  six  months.  As  every  one  knew,  the  campaign 
was  to  be  made  in  the  dead  of  winter  against  five  war- 
like tribes  in  remote  and  almost  inaccessible  regions. 
Such  an  expedition  had  time  and  again  been  declared 
by  officers  of  the  army  to  be  impossible;  and  yet  it 
seemed  to  be  the  only  way  to  bring  the  hostile  Indians 
to  a  sense  of  their  duty. 

In  a  letter  to  General  Sheridan  of  date  October  15, 
General  Sherman  said: 

As  to  extermination,  it  is  for  the  Indians  themselves  to 
determine.  We  don't  want  to  exterminate  or  even  fight  them. 
At  best  it  is  an  inglorious  war,  not  apt  to  add  much  to  our 
fame  or  personal  comfort;  and  for  our  soldiers,  to  whom  we 
owe  our  first  thoughts,  it  is  all  danger  and  extreme  labor, 
without  a  single  compensating  advantage.  .  .  As  brave 
men,  and  as  the  soldiers  of  a  government  which  has  exhausted 
its  peace  efforts,  we,  in  the  performance  of  a  most  unpleasent 
duty,  accept  the  war  begun  by  our  enemies,  and  hereby 
resolve  to  make  its  end  final.  If  it  results  in  the  utter 
annihilation  of  these  Indians,  it  is  but  the  result  of  what 
they  have  been  warned  again  and  again,  and  for  which  they 
seem  fully  prepared.  I  will  say  nothing  and  do  nothing  to 
restrain  our  troops  from  doing  what  they  deem  proper  on  the 
spot,  and  will  allow  no  mere  vague  general  charges  of  cruelty 
and  inhumanity  to  tie  their  hands,  but  will  use  all  the  powers 
confided  to  me  to  the  end  that  these  Indians,  the  enemies  of 

*See  Appendix. 


CAMPAIGN  OF  1868-69  321 

our  race  and  of  our  civilization,  shall  not  again  be  able  to 
begin  and  carry  on  their  barbarous  warfare  on  any  kind  of 
pretext  that  they  may  choose  to  allege.  I  believe  that  this 
winter  will  afford  us  the  opportunity,  and  that  before  the 
snow  falls  these  Indians  will  seek  some  sort  of  peace,  to  be 
broken  next  year  at  their  option ;  but  we  will  not  accept  their 
peace,  or  cease  our  efforts  till  all  the  past  acts  are  both  pun- 
ished and  avenged.  You  may  now  go  ahead  in  your  own 
way,  and  I  will  back  you  with  my  whole  authority,  and  stand 
between  you  and  any  efforts  that  may  be  attempted  in  your 
rear  to  restrain  your  purpose  or  check  your  troops. 

From  this,  as  will  be  observed,  General  Sherman 
agreed  to  stand  between  Sheridan  and  the  Interior 
Department  —  the  course  of  all  our  Indian  troubles. 
Nevertheless,  Sheridan,  on  account  of  an  erroneous 
sentiment  in  the  Eastern  States  concerning  the  In- 
dians, was  anxious  to  have  the  State  authorities  behind 
him.  On  that  account  and  for  the  reason  that  I  knew  a 
winter  campaign  was  the  only  thing  that  would  end  the 
Indian  war  and  keep  the  savages  on  their  reserva- 
tions, I  resolved  to  resign  as  Governor  and  to  accom- 
pany the  expedition. 

Before  resigning  my  office  I  issued  a  Thanksgiving 
Proclamation,*  November  4,  1868,  after  which  and 
on  the  same  day  I  was  appointed  and  mustered  in  as 
Colonel  of  the  new  regiment. f 

OFF  TO  CAMP  SUPPLY 

The  regiment  broke  camp  at  Topeka  on  the  morn- 
ing of  November  5,  and  started  for  Camp  Supply,  the 
point  designated  by  General  Sheridan  as  a  rendezvous 
for  the  troops  that  were  to  participate  in  the  campaign. 
From  Topeka  we  marched  by  way  of  Emporia  to  the 
Arkansas  River,  where  the  city  of  Wichita  now  stands 
—  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  seven 
days. 

*See  Appendix. 

tSee  Appendix  for  roster  of  regimental  officers,  the  Nineteenth 
Kansas  Cavalry. 


322  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

At  Wichita  —  or  Camp  Beecher,  as  we  called  it  — 
we  expected  to  find  ten  days'  rations  and  forage  for 
the  regiment,  which  had  previously  been  ordered  from 
Fort  Eiley  by  General  Sheridan ;  but  on  arriving  there 
we  found  that  one-half  the  rations  had  been  consumed 
by  U.  S.  troops,  while  only  a  part  of  the  forage  had 
reached  its  destination. 

Then  it  became  a  question  whether  we  should  pro- 
ceed on  a  two-hundred-mile  march  from  Wichita  to 
Camp  Supply  through  an  unknown  country,  with  in- 
experienced guides,  or  wait  and  send  back  to  Fort  Biley 
for  rations  and  forage.  The  country  through  which 
we  had  to  pass  was  known  to  contain  large  herds  of 
buffalo  and  flocks  of  deer  and  wild  turkey ;  and  as  yet 
no  snow  had  fallen ;  so,  after  considering  the  question 
in  all  its  bearings,  I  determined  to  move  on. 

Having  loaded  our  wagons  with  such  supplies  as 
had  not  been  consumed  by  the  troops  stationed  at 
Wichita,  I  crossed  the  Arkansas  River  on  the  morning 
of  November  14  and  moved  in  a  southwesterly  direc- 
tion toward  Camp  Supply.  As  heretofore  stated,  the 
distance  in  a  direct  line  was  two  hundred  miles  through 
an  unknown  country,  with  no  road,  no  bridges  over  the 
streams,  and  no  guide  who  knew  anything  of  the  form- 
ation of  the  country.  It  was  a  bold  dash  into  the  wild- 
erness with  a  regiment  of  one  thousand  officers  and 
men,  at  the  approach  of  winter. 

For  the  first  five  days  we  marched  on  an  average 
twenty  miles  per  day,  and  improvised  our  own  cross- 
ings over  the  rivers  and  small  streams.  On  the  even- 
ing of  November  18,  after  a  hard  day's  march,  the 
horses  of  one  battalion  stampeded  and  caused  a  delay 
of  one  day.  On  the  morning  of  the  nineteenth  we  were 
overtaken  by  a  snow  storm,  which  continued  without  in- 
termission for  forty-eight  hours,  and  until  the  ground 
was  covered  to  a  depth  of  ten  inches.  The  next  morn- 
ing we  moved  as  usual  and  made  a  good  day 's  march 
notwithstanding  the  snow. 


CAMPAIGN  OF  1868-69  323 

Here,  our  rations  and  forage  having  been  ex- 
hausted, it  became  necessary  to  resort  to  strategy. 
Buffalo  in  large  herds  were  found  in  abundance,  so 
we  had  no  fears  of  the  men  suffering  for  food.  But  our 
forage  was  gone,  and  the  privation  began  to  tell  on  the 
horses  and  mules.  From  the  day  we  left  Wichita  great 
care  had  been  taken  to  camp  early  in  the  afternoon  and 
let  the  animals  graze.  Now  we  were  in  a  country  where 
timber  was  more  plentiful  and  grass  not  so  abundant. 

On  going  into  camp  every  afternoon  a  heavy  detail 
of  men  would  take  the  horses  and  mules  out  and  scrap- 
ing the  snow  away  from  the  grass,  let  the  animals 
graze  until  dark.  Meantime  other  details  would  cut 
cottonwood  limbs  and  other  green  bushes  and  place 
them  under  the  picket  line  where  the  stock  would 
browse  during  the  night.  Thus  we  moved  along 
through  the  ever-increasing  snow  and  over  the  hills 
and  hollows  until  we  reached  the  brakes  of  the  Cimar- 
ron  River. 

There  I  established  a  camp  for  the  dismounted  men 
and  disabled  horses  and  mules,  and  sent  Captain  Pliley 
forward  with  his  troop  to  Camp  Supply  for  rations 
and  forage.  Here  the  buffalo  were  still  within  easy 
reach,  and  the  men  had  an  abundance  of  meat ;  but  our 
stock  was  suffering  for  lack  of  forage,  and  on  account 
of  the  intensely  cold  nights. 

Leaving  Major  Jenkins  in  charge  of  the  camp,  with 
three  hundred  and  sixty  men  and  two  hundred  and 
fifty  tired-out  horses  and  mules,  I  took  the  remainder 
of  the  regiment  (about  six  hundred  men),  pushed  on 
to  Camp  Supply,  and  arrived  there  on  November  26  — 
just  twelve  days  out  from  Wichita. 

Meantime  Captain  Pliley  had  returned  to  the  camp 
with  supplies  and  forage,  and  on  the  twenty-ninth 
Major  Jenkins  came  in  with  his  portion  of  the  com- 
mand—  without  the  loss  of  a  man  from  the  day  we 
left  Topeka. 

Thus  from  Wichita  to  Camp  Supply  we  made  the 


324  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

march  over  all  obstacles  in  twelve  days  —  a  distance 
of  over  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  actually 
travelled.  It  was  two  hundred  miles  in  a  direct  line ; 
but  a  column  winding  its  way  around  hills,  ravines,  and 
bad  crossings,  necessarily  had  to  deviate  from  the 
direct  route. 

"When  we  arrived,  General  Sheridan  expressed  him- 
self as  highly  pleased,  and  seemed  to  think  that  under 
all  the  circumstances  we  had  made  a  wonderful  march. 
He  excused  himself  for  sending  me  guides  who  knew 
nothing  about  the  country  through  which  we  had 
passed ;  and  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  he  reprimanded  the 
captain  in  command  of  the  U.  S.  troops  at  Wichita,  for 
consuming  the  rations  and  forage  which  he  had  sent 
there  for  my  regiment. 

But  in  writing  of  this  expedition  twenty  years  later, 
in  his  ' '  Memoirs, ' '  he  goes  out  of  his  way  to  reflect  on 
the  officers  of  the  regiment  and,  in  doing  so,  contradicts 
what  he  said  when  we  arrived  at  Camp  Supply,  and 
what  he  said  in  his  official  report. 

On  the  march  from  Wichita  to  Camp  Supply,  there 
was  no  road ;  not  even  an  Indian  trail.  It  was  simply 
a  southwest  course  through  an  uninhabited  country 
from  one  point  to  another,  with  only  the  sun  and  the 
compass  as  guides.  There  was  nothing  from  which  to 
get  lost.  There  were  no  roads  nor  cross-roads  to  mis- 
lead us ;  and  at  the  time  General  Sheridan  understood 
that  fact. 

We  made  the  march  in  twelve  days,  and  if,  as  he 
says,  we  had  been  subsisting  on  buffalo  meat  for ' l  eight 
or  nine  days,"  it  simply  shows  that  we  marched  the 
greater  part  of  the  distance  without  rations  or  forage. 
The  truth  is  that  General  Sheridan,  knowing  nothing 
of  the  country  over  which  we  marched,  was  laboring 
under  a  misapprehension  of  facts.  He  had  been  mis- 
informed by  his  scouts  and  others,  whose  reputations 
and  wages  depended  largely  on  their  skill  as  liars. 


CAMPAIGN  or  1868-69  825 

OUSTER'S  FIGHT  WITH  BAND  OF  CHEYENNES 

General  Sheridan,  with  General  Ouster  and  the 
Seventh  Cavalry,  reached  Camp  Supply  from  Fort 
Hays  a  week  or  so  before  I  arrived,  and  was  anxious  to 
push  forward  to  where  the  Indians  were  supposed  to  be 
in  winter  quarters.  While  waiting  for  my  regiment, 
he  sent  Custer  out  with  his  regiment  on  a  reconnoitring 
expedition ;  who,  striking  an  Indian  trail,  followed  it  to 
the  Washita  Valley,  where  he  fought  a  battle  with 
Black  Kettle's  band  of  Cheyennes.  A  number  of  In- 
dians and  Indian  ponies  were  killed,  and  their  camp 
wag  captured  and  destroyed. 

In  the  fight  Custer  lost  two  officers  —  Major  Elliott 
and  Captain  Hamilton  —  and  a  number  of  men.  From 
the  Washita  he  returned  to  Camp  Supply,  and  on  the 
seventh  of  December  General  Sheridan  with  both  regi- 
ments, the  Seventh  U.  S.  Cavalry  and  the  Nineteenth 
Kansas  Cavalry,  moved  forward  to  the  Washita,  where 
Custer  had  fought  Black  Kettle  the  week  before.  Here 
the  bodies  of  Elliott  and  Hamilton  were  recovered,  and 
the  soldiers  of  the  Seventh  who  had  been  killed  were 
buried. 

CAPTIVES    SLAIN 

The  bodies  were  buried,  also,  of  two  Kansas  cap- 
tives —  Mrs.  Blinn  and  her  little  boy  —  who  had  been 
killed  by  the  Indians  and  left  on  the  field  a  mile  or 
so  from  where  the  fight  occurred.  This  unfortunate 
woman  and  her  husband  and  child  were  returning 
home  from  Colorado,  when,  on  the  ninth  of  October 
the  train  with  which  they  were  travelling  was  attacked 
and  captured  by  the  Cheyennes.  The  men  were  all 
killed  and  the  poor  woman  and  her  child  carried  into 
captivity. 

While  she  was  a  prisoner  with  the  Cheyennes,  some 
Mexican  traders  visited  their  camp,  and  at  the  risk 
of  her  life  she  slipped  a  letter  into  their  hands,  which 
reads  as  follows: 


326  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

November  7,  1868. 

Kind  friends,  whoever  you  may  be:  I  thank  you  for 
your  kindness  to  me  and  my  child.  You  want  me  to  let  you 
know  my  wishes.  If  you  could  only  buy  us  of  the  Indians 
with  ponies  or  anything,  and  let  me  come  and  stay  with  you 
until  I  can  get  word  to  my  friends,  they  would  pay  you,  and 
I  would  work  and  do  all  I  could  for  you.  If  it  is  not  too 
far  to  their  camp,  and  you  are  not  afraid  to  come,  I  pray 
that  you  will  try.  They  tell  me,  as  near  as  I  can  understand, 
they  expect  traders  to  come  and  they  will  sell  us  to  them. 
Can  you  find  out  by  this  man  and  let  me  know  if  it  is  white 
men  ?  If  it  is  Mexicans,  I  am  afraid  they  would  sell  us  into 
slavery  in  Mexico.  If  you  can  do  nothing  for  me,  write  to 
W.  T.  Harrington,  Ottawa,  Franklin  County,  Kansas,  my 
father;  tell  him  we  are  with  the  Cheyennes,  and  they  say 
when  the  white  men  make  peace  we  can  go  home.  Tell  him 
to  write  the  Governor  of  Kansas  about  it,  and  for  them  to 
make  peace.  Send  this  to  him.  We  were  taken  on  the  ninth 
of  October,  on  the  Arkansas,  below  Fort  Lyon.  I  cannot  tell 
whether  they  killed  my  husband  or  not.  My  name  is  Mrs. 
Clara  Blinn.  My  little  boy,  Willie  Blinn,  is  two  years  old. 
Do  all  you  can  for  me.  Write  to  the  peace  commissioners  to 
make  peace  this  Fall.  For  our  sakes  do  all  you  can,  and 
God  will  bless  you.  If  you  can,  let  me  hear  from  you  again ; 
let  me  know  what  you  think  about  it.  Write  to  my  father; 
send  him  this.  Good-bye. 

MRS.  R.  F.  BLINN. 

I  am  as  well  as  can  be  expected,  but  my  baby  is  very  weak. 

As  shown  by  her  letter,  the  father  of  this  woman 
resided  in  Franklin  County,  but  I  was  never  able  to 
get  into  communication  with  him. 

On  the  day  of  the  fight  with  Black  Kettle,  Ouster 
held  his  ground  until  dark,  when,  the  Indians  being 
rapidly  reinforced,  he  retired,  leaving  his  dead  on  the 
field.  A  week  later  when  Sheridan  was  advancing  with 
Ouster's  regiment  and  the  Nineteenth  Kansas,  the  In- 
dians broke  camp  on  the  Washita  and  fled;  the  Chey- 
ennes retreating  southward,  and  the  Kiowas,  Coman- 
ches,  and  Arapahoes  going  down  the  Washita  Valley 
toward  the  Wichita  Mountains. 


CAMPAIGN  OF  1868-69  327 

When  this  break-up  occurred  and  we  were  ready  to 
start  in  pursuit,  it  was  not  known  that  the  Cheyennes 
had  slipped  off  south  with  the  captive  women  from 
Kansas,  Mrs.  Morgan  and  Miss  White.  Hence  General 
Sherman,  on  the  morning  of  December  12,  broke  camp 
and  started  down  the  Washita  Valley  in  pursuit  of  the 
main  body  of  Indians,  who  left  a  wide  trail  behind 
them. 

GEN.  SHERIDAN'S  ACCOUNT 

The  snow  was  falling  in  sheets  and  the  weather  was 
intensely  cold.  For  a  vivid  account  of  this  march  down 
the  Washita  to  Fort  Cobb,  I  quote  from  General  Sher- 
idan's  report,  as  follows: 

At  an  early  hour  on  December  12  the  command  pulled 
out  from  its  cozy  camp  and  pushed  down  the  valley  of  the 
Washita,  following  immediately  on  the  Indian  trail  which  led 
in  the  direction  of  Fort  Cobb;  but  before  going  far  it  was 
found  that  the  many  deep  ravines  and  canons  on  this  trail 
would  delay  our  train  very  much,  so  we  moved  out  of  the 
valley,  and  took  the  level  prairie  on  the  divide.  Here  the 
travelling  was  good,  and  a  rapid  gait  was  kept  up  till  mid- 
day, when,  another  storm  of  sleet  and  snow  coming  on,  it 
became  extremely  difficult  for  the  guides  to  make  out  the 
proper  course ;  and,  fearing  that  we  might  get  lost  or  caught 
on  the  open  plain  without  food  or  water  —  as  we  had  been  on 
the  Canadian  —  I  turned  the  command  back  to  the  valley, 
resolved  to  try  no  more  short  cuts  involving  a  risk  of  a  dis- 
aster to  the  expedition.  But,  to  get  back  was  no  slight  task, 
for  a  dense  fog  just  now  enveloped  us,  obscuring  the  land- 
marks. However,  we  were  headed  right  when  the  fog  set  in, 
and  we  had  the  good  luck  to  reach  the  valley  before  night- 
fall, though  there  was  a  great  deal  of  floundering  about,  and 
also  much  disputing  among  the  guides  as  to  where  the  river 
would  be  found.  Fortunately  we  struck  the  stream  right  at 
a  large  grove  of  timber,  and  established  ourselves  admirably. 
By  dark  the  ground  was  covered  with  twelve  or  fifteen  inches 
of  fresh  snow,  and,  as  usual,  the  temperature  rose  very  sen- 
sibly while  the  storm  was  on,  but  after  nightfall  the  snow 
ceased  and  the  skies  cleared  up.  Daylight  having  brought 


328  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

zero  weather  again,  our  start  on  the  morning  of  the  thir- 
teenth was  painful  work,  many  of  the  men  freezing  their 
fingers  while  handling  the  horses,  equipments,  harness,  and 
tents.  However,  we  got  off  in  fairly  good  season,  and  kept  to 
the  trail  along  the  "Washita,  notwithstanding  the  frequent 
digging  and  bridging  necessary  to  get  the  wagons  over 
ravines. 

According  to  this  report,  as  will  be  observed,  the 
floundering  was  not  all  done  by  the  Nineteenth  Kansas 
Cavalry,  while  en  route  to  Camp  Supply. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  seventeenth,  after  a 
continuous  forced  march  of  six  days,  we  drove  in  the 
enemy's  rear-guard  and  would  have  attacked  the  main 
force  of  Indians  that  day,  but  for  the  lateness  of  the 
hour.  That  night  we  camped  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Washita,  about  two  miles  from  the  Indian  camp.  We 
were  then  about  twenty  miles  from  Fort  Cobb,  and 
during  the  night  a  number  of  the  Indian  chiefs  ran  into 
Fort  Cobb,  surrendered  to  General  Hazen  —  repre- 
senting the  Interior  Department  —  and  were  back  at 
their  camp  by  the  break  of  day. 

On  the  morning  of  the  eighteenth  Sheridan  moved 
in  double  column  with  the  train  between  the  two  regi- 
ments, intending  to  throw  his  men  forward  into  line 
and  open  the  fight  as  soon  as  he  came  within  striking 
distance.  When  within  a  mile  of  the  Indians  two  of 
Hazen 's  scouts  —  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hart  and  a 
half-breed  Comanche  —  came  out  from  the  Indian 
camp  and  handed  General  Sheridan  a  note  from  Hazen, 
saying  in  substance,  that  the  Indians  had  surrendered 
to  him  the  previous  night  and  that  he  had  promised 
that  they  should  not  be  attacked  by  the  troops  then 
advancing. 

STJEBENDEE  OF  INDIAN  CHIEFS 

Sheridan  immediately  called  a  halt  and  while  con- 
sulting a  few  of  the  officers  as  to  what  should  be  done, 
a  number  of  chiefs  rode  out  in  front  of  their  camp  and 


CAMPAIGN  OF  1868-69  329 

two  of  them  —  Satanta,  of  the  Kiowas,  and  a  Com- 
manche  chief  —  started  to  meet  us.  When  within  a 
half-mile  they  suddenly  took  fright  and,  wheeling  their 
ponies,  started  back  at  full  speed.  Sheridan  not  know- 
ing what  they  meant  ordered  his  scouts  to  bring  them 
in.  The  scouts,  being  better  mounted  than  the  chiefs, 
soon  overtook  and  brought  them  back  as  prisoners. 
Then  Sheridan  moved  his  command  forward  to  within 
striking  distance,  and  taking  some  of  the  other  leading 
chiefs  prisoners,  ordered  the  remaining  tribes  to  re- 
port to  him  at  Fort  Cobb  on  a  certain  day. 

Thus,  after  an  arduous  winter  campaign,  at  a 
heavy  expense  to  the  Government,  and  when  a  perma- 
nent suppression  of  these  hostile  tribes  was  almost 
within  our  grasp,  the  Interior  Department  —  the 
source  of  all  the  troubles  —  again  stepped  in  and  at- 
tempted to  snatch  the  victory,  at  whatever  cost,  from 
the  War  Department. 

But  fortunately  General  Sheridan  was  there,  and 
while  he  could  not  violate  the  agreement  just  con- 
cluded by  General  Hazen,  he  was  not  going  to  let 
Hazen  baffle  him  entirely  out  of  the  fruits  of  the  ex- 
pedition. He  remained  at  Cobb  until  all  the  tribes, 
except  the  Cheyennes,  came  in  and  then  he  ordered 
them  to  move  south  fifty  miles  to  Cache  Creek,  where 
grazing  was  better  for  our  horses  and  the  Indian 
ponies. 

On  the  first  of  January,  1869,  I  crossed  the  Wash- 
ita  and  moved  south  with  my  regiment  to  where  Fort 
Sill  now  stands.  Within  a  day  or  so  Custer  with  the 
Seventh  Cavalry  followed,  and  soon  thereafter  the  In- 
dians began  to  make  their  appearance  in  that  vicinity. 
Sheridan  remained  at  Cobb  a  few  days  and  then  came 
over  and  established  Fort  Sill. 

The  Indian  chiefs,  as  prisoners,  were  entrusted  to 
my  care.  While  they  pretended  to  be  good  now  and 
for  all  time  to  come,  they  were  at  all  times  gnashing 
their  teeth  and  watching  for  an  opportunity  to  se- 


330  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

cape.  Gradually  they  all  came  in  and  made  all  sorts 
of  good  promises  for  the  future,  except  the  Cheyennes, 
who  were  away  west  of  the  Wichita  Mountains  with 
the  women  they  had  captured  in  Kansas. 

Most  of  the  hostile  bands,  having  come  in  and  sur- 
rendered to  General  Sheridan  and  sent  their  requisi- 
tions to  General  Hazen  at  Fort  Cobb  for  rations  and 
clothing,  I  could  see  no  reason  why  I  should  remain 
longer  with  the  command.  The  Cheyennes.  as  already 
stated,  were  still  out  with  the  captives  —  one  a  young 
bride  of  three  weeks  when  captured,  and  the  other  a 
charming  young  lady  of  eighteen. 

But  it  was  apparent  that  the  expedition,  as  such, 
had  been  brought  to  a  close  by  the  intervention  of  Gen- 
eral Hazen;  and,  no  arrangement  having  been  made 
for  the  payment  of  my  regiment  when  mustered  out  of 
service,  I  turned  the  command  over  to  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Moore,  a  worthy  officer,  preeminently  quali- 
fied to  subdue  the  Cheyennes  and  compel  the  surren- 
der of  the  captives. 

On  the  fourteenth  day  of  February,  1869,  I  re- 
signed ;  and  on  the  fifteenth,  with  a  light  escort,  I  left 
Fort  Sill  for  Washington  by  way  of  Fort  Gibson  and 
Topeka.  The  next  morning  after  my  arrival  in  that 
city,  I  called  on  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  was  in- 
formed that  Congress  had  adjourned  without  making 
an  appropriation  to  pay  the  regiment.  Fortunately, 
however,  General  Sherman,  who  had  called  the  regi- 
ment into  service,  was  in  the  city;  and  he  and  I,  after 
much  argument  and  persuasion,  finally  prevailed  on 
the  Secretary  to  order  the  payment  out  of  his  Con- 
tingent Fund. 

COL.  MOORE'S  REPORT  ON  THE  PURSUIT  AND  RELEASE  OF 

CAPTIVES 

General  Sheridan,  having  arranged  for  the  expe- 
dition against  the  Cheyennes,  left  Fort  Sill  for  Wash- 
ington by  way  of  Camp  Supply  and  Fort  Hays.  Gen- 


CAMPAIGN  OF  1868-69  331 

eral  Ouster  and  Colonel  Moore  were  left  at  Fort  Sill 
with  their  regiments,  to  proceed  against  the  Chey- 
ennes  and  bring  home  the  captives.  That  they  accom- 
plished their  purpose  with  skill,  courage,  and  powers 
of  endurance,  is  shown  by  an  able  address,  delivered 
by  Colonel  Moore  before  the  Kansas  State  Historical 
Society,  of  date  January  19, 1897.  In  this  address  Col- 
onel Moore  says: 

On  the  second  of  March,  1869,  the  Nineteenth  Kansas 
and  the  Seventh  Cavalry  marched  from  Fort  Sill  with  inten- 
tion to  find  Little  Robe's  band  of  Cheyennes.  The  command 
marched  to  the  west,  and  on  the  second  day  out  camped 
at  Old  Camp  Radziminski,  a  camp  where  the  Second  Dra- 
goons, under  Colonel  van  Dora,  wintered,  long  before  the 
war.  The  course  was  still  west,  across  the  North  Fork  of  Red 
River  and  across  the  Salt  Fork  of  Red  River,  till  the  com- 
mand reached  Gypsum  Creek.  Here  the  command  was 
divided.  Most  of  the  train,  and  all  the  footsore  and  disabled, 
were  sent  to  the  north  up  the  North  Fork  and  along  the 
State  line  (of  Texas),  with  orders  to  procure  commissary 
stores  and  halt  on  the  Washita  till  joined  by  the  balance  of 
the  command. 

The  Seventh  and  Nineteenth  then  pushed  on  up  the  Salt 
Fork,  and  on  the  sixth  of  March  struck  the  trail  of  the 
Indians.  It  was  broad  and  easy  to  follow  as  an  ordinary 
country  road.  The  scanty  rations  were  now  reduced  one- 
half,  and  the  pursuit  began  in  earnest.  At  the  head  waters 
of  the  Salt  Fork  the  trail  turned  north  and  skirted  along  the 
foot  of  the  Llano  Estacado.  The  trail  led  through  a  sandy 
mesquite  country,  entirely  without  game,  although  the 
streams  coming  out  of  the  staked  plain  furnished  abundance 
of  water.  By  the  twelfth  of  March  rations  were  reduced 
again.  The  mules  were  now  dying  very  fast,  of  starvation,  as 
they  bad  nothing  to  live  on  except  the  buds  and  bark  of  cot- 
tonwood  trees  cut  down  for  them  to  browse  on.  Every  morn- 
ing the  mules  and  horses  that  were  unable  to  travel  were 
killed  by  cutting  their  throats  and  the  extra  wagons  run 
together  and  set  on  fire.  On  the  seventeenth  the  command 
came  on  to  Indian  camp-fires  with  the  embers  still  smoulder- 
ing. The  rations  were  all  exhausted  on  the  eighteenth,  and 


832  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

the  men  subsisted,  from  that  on,  on  mule  meat,  without  bread 
or  salt. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  twentieth  the  Nineteenth  Kan- 
sas came  in  sight  of  a  band  of  ponies  off  to  the  west  of  the 
line  of  march,  which  was  now  in  a  northeast  direction.  In  a 
few  minutes  Indians  began  to  cross  the  line  of  march  in 
front  of  the  command,  going  with  all  haste  toward  the  herd. 
The  regiment  quickened  its  pace,  and  I  directed  the  line  of 
march  to  the  point  from  which  the  Indians  were  coming.  In 
another  mile  the  head  of  the  column  came  upon  a  low  bluff 
overlooking  the  bottom  of  the  Sweetwater,  and  saw  a  group 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  Cheyenne  lodges  stretching  up  and 
down  the  stream  and  not  more  than  one  hundred  yards  from 
the  bluff.  The  men  thought  of  the  long  marches,  the  short 
rations,  the  cold  storms,  of  Mrs.  Blinn  and  her  little  boy,  of 
the  hundred  murders  in  Kansas,  and,  when  the  order  "  Left 
front  into  line  "  was  given,  the  rear  companies  came  over 
the  ground  like  athletes.  But  "  there  is  many  a  slip  'twixt 
the  cup  and  the  lip."  Lieutenant  Cook,  Seventh  Cavalry, 
rode  up  to  the  commanding  officer,  and,  touching  his  hat, 
said,  "  The  General  sends  his  compliments,  with  instructions 
not  to  fire  on  the  Indians."  It  was  a  wet  blanket,  saturated 
with  ice-water.  In  a  minute  another  aide  came  with  orders 
to  march  the  command  a  little  way  up  stream  and  down  into 
the  valley  to  rest.  The  order  was  executed,  and  the  regiment 
formed  in  column  of  companies,  with  orders  to  rest.  The  men 
laid  down  on  the  ground  or  sat  on  the  logs,  but  always  with 
their  carbines  in  hand.  Custer  was  close  by,  sitting  in  the 
centre  of  a  circle  of  Indian  chiefs  holding  a  powwow.  In 
two  or  three  minutes  an  officer  of  the  Seventh  came  up,  and 
in  a  low  tone  asked  that  a  few  officers  put  on  their  side-arms 
and  drop  down  one  at  a  time  to  listen  to  the  talk.  While 
Custer  talked  he  watched  the  officers  as  they  gathered  around, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  he  got  up  onto  his  feet  and  said,  ' '  Take 
these  Indians  prisoners."  There  was  a  short  but  pretty  sharp 
struggle,  and  a  guard  with  loaded  guns  formed  a  line  around 
these  half-dozen  chiefs,  and  Custer  continued  the  talk.  But 
he  had  pulled  out  another  stop.  The  tone  was  different.  He 
told  them  they  had  two  white  women  of  Kansas,  and  they 
must  deliver  them  up  to  him.  They  denied  this  before,  but 
now  they  admitted  it,  and  said  the  women  were  at  another 
camp,  fifteen  miles  farther  down  the  creek.  He  told  them  to 


CAMPAIGN  OF  1868-69  333 

instruct  the  people  to  pick  up  this  camp  and  move  down  to 
the  camp  mentioned,  and  we  would  come  down  the  next  day 
and  get  the  women. 

As  soon  as  the  chiefs  were  taken  prisoners,  the  warriors 
mounted  their  ponies,  and,  armed  with  guns  or  bows  and 
arrows,  circled  around  the  bivouac  of  the  troops.  They 
looked  very  brave  and  warlike.  They  wore  head-dresses  of 
eagle  feathers,  clean  buckskin  leggings  and  moccasins,  and 
buckskin  coats  trimmed  with  ample  fringe.  Lieutenant  John- 
son, commissary  of  the  Nineteenth,  watched  them  awhile,  and 
then  remarked :  ' '  This  is  the  farthest  I  ever  walked  to  see  a 
circus. "  In  a  surprisingly  short  time  after  Ouster  gave  them 
permission,  the  whole  camp  was  pulled  down,  loaded  onto 
the  ponies,  and  not  an  Indian  was  in  sight  except  the  half- 
dozen  held  by  the  guards.  Another  night  of  stout  hearts  but 
restless  stomachs,  and  in  the  morning  the  command  began  a 
march  of  fifteen  miles  down  the  Sweetwater  to  the  other 
camp.  The  trail  was  broad  and  fresh  for  five  miles,  and  then 
it  began  to  thin  out  and  get  dimmer  and  dimmer,  until  at  the 
end  of  ten  miles  not  a  blade  of  grass  was  broken.  At  the 
end  of  fifteen  miles  an  old  camp  was  reached,  but  no  Indians 
had  been  there  for  two  months.  The  regiment  bivouacked 
for  the  night,  and  General  Ouster  had  the  head  chief  taken 
down  to  the  creek,  a  riata  put  around  his  neck  and  the  other 
end  thrown  over  the  limb  of  a  tree.  A  couple  of  soldiers 
took  hold  of  the  other  end  of  the  rope,  and,  by  pulling 
gently,  lifted  him  up  onto  his  toes.  He  was  let  down,  and 
Borneo,  the  interpreter,  explained  to  him  that,  when  he  was 
pulled  up  clear  from  the  ground  and  left  there,  he  would  be 
hung. 

The  grizzly  old  savage  seemed  to  understand  the  matter 
fully,  and  then  Ouster  told  him  if  they  did  not  bring  those 
women  in  by  the  time  the  sun  got  within  a  hand's  breadth 
of  the  horizon  on  the  next  day,  he  would  hang  the  chiefs  on 
those  trees.  He  let  the  old  chief's  son  go  to  carry  the  man- 
date to  the  tribe.  It  was  a  long  night,  but  everybody  knew 
the  next  afternoon  would  settle  the  matter  in  some  way.  As 
the  afternoon  drew  on,  the  men  climbed  the  hills  around 
camp,  watching  the  horizon ;  and  about  four  P.  M.  a  mounted 
Indian  came  on  to  a  ridge  a  mile  away.  He  waited  a  few 
minutes,  and  then  beckoning  with  his  hand  to  some  one  be- 
hind him,  he  came  on  to  the  next  ridge,  and  other  Indian 


334  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

came  on  to  the  ridge  he  had  left.  There  was  another  pause ; 
then  the  two  moved  up  and  a  third  came  in  sight.  They 
came  up  slowly  in  this  way  till  at  last  a  group  of  a  dozen 
came  in  sight,  and  with  a  glass  it  could  be  seen  that  there 
were  two  persons  on  one  of  the  ponies.  These  were  the 
women.  The  Indians  brought  them  to  within  about  two 
hundred  yards  of  the  camp,  where  they  slid  off  the  ponies, 
and  Romeo,  the  interpreter,  who  had  met  the  Indians  there, 
told  the  women  to  come  in.  They  came  down  the  hill  cling- 
ing to  each  other,  as  though  determined  not  to  be  separated 
whatever  might  occur.  I  met  them  at  the  foot  of  the  hill, 
and  taking  the  elder  lady  by  the  hand  asked  if  she  was  Mrs. 
Morgan.  She  said  she  was,  and  introduced  the  other,  Miss 
White.  She  then  asked,  "  Are  we  free  now?  "  I  told  her 
they  were,  and  she  asked,  ' '  Where  is  my  husband  ?  ' '  I 
told  her  he  was  at  Hays  and  recovering  from  his  wounds. 
Next  question :  ' '  Where  is  my  brother  ?  ' '  I  told  her  he  was 
in  camp,  but  did  not  tell  her  that  we  had  to  put  him  under 
guard  to  keep  him.  from  marring  all  by  shooting  the  first 
Indian  he  saw.  Miss  White  asked  no  questions  about  her 
people.  She  knew  they  were  all  dead  before  she  was  carried 
away.  Ouster  had  an  "  A  "  tent,  which  he  brought  along 
for  headquarters,  and  this  was  turned  over  to  the  women. 

At  the  retreat  that  night,  while  the  women  stood  in  front 
"  Home,  Sweet  Home."  The  command  marched  the  next 
of  their  tent  to  see  the  guard  mounted,  the  band  played 
morning  for  the  rendezvous  on  the  Washita.  It  was  a  couple 
of  days'  march,  but  when  the  end  came  there  was  coffee,  ba- 
con, hard  bread,  and  canned  goods.  Any  one  of  them  was 
a  feast  for  a  king.  From  Washita  to  Supply,  Supply  to 
Dodge,  Dodge  to  Hays,  where  the  women  were  sent  home  to 
Minneapolis,  and  the  Nineteenth  was  mustered  out  of  the 
service.  The  Indian  prisoners  were  sent  to  Sill,  and  soon 
after  the  Cheyennes  reported  there  and  went  on  to  their 
reservation.  .  .  . 

The  expedition  resulted  in  forcing  the  Kiowas,  Coman- 
ches,  Cheyennes,  and  Arapahoes  onto  their  reservations,  and 
since  then  the  frontier  settlements  of  Kansas  have  been 
practically  free  from  the  depredations  of  Indians. 

The  campaign  was  a  most  arduous  one,  prosecuted  with- 
out adequate  camp  equipage,  in  the  midst  of  winter,  and 
much  of  the  time  with  an  exhausted  commissariat.  The 


CAMPAIGN  OP  1868-69  335 

regiments  of  Kansas  have  glorified  our  State  on  a  hundred 
battlefields,  but  none  served  her  more  faithfully  or  endured 
more  in  her  cause  than  the  NINETEENTH  KANSAS  CAVALRY. 

The  regiment,  after  securing  the  captive  girls,  re- 
turned to  Fort  Hays,  and  was  paid  off  and  mustered 
out  of  service  on  April  18,  1869. 

The  captives  were  sent  to  their  homes  on  the  Solo- 
mon and  Republican  rivers,  and  the  Indians  ever  after- 
wards remained  on  their  reservations,  and  are  now 
quiet  citizens  of  the  United  States.  But  as  tribes  they 
died  hard.  They  fought  to  kill,  and  people  on  the 
frontier  were  often  their  victims. 

THE  MISTAKEN   POLICY  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT 

Had  the  Government,  at  an  early  date,  adopted  a 
just  and  firm  Indian  policy  and  adhered  to  it,  the  soil 
of  every  township  of  land  west  of  the  Appalachian 
Range  would  not  have  been  saturated  with  human 
blood.  But  that  was  not  done.  The  humanitarians, 
who  knew  nothing  about  the  real  character  of  the  wild 
Indians,  were  going  to  manage  them  by  moral  suasion, 
and  with  beautiful  flowers,  as  some  ladies  reclaim  mur- 
derers when  on  trial  for  their  lives. 

That  sentiment  took  the  Indian  Bureau  from  the 
War  Department,  where  it  belonged,  and  placed  it  in 
the  Interior  Department,  where  it  soon  became  a  play- 
thing for  boss  politicians  and  thieving  Indian  agents. 
Then  the  War  Department  was  held  responsible  for 
the  conduct  of  the  Indians,  while  the  Interior  Depart- 
ment, through  its  agents,  was  supplying  them  with 
munitions  of  war,  and  encouraging  them  in  deeds  of 
atrocity. 

That  was  the  condition  of  things  in  Central  and 
Western  Kansas  from  the  Spring  of  1864  to  1869,  when 
the  savage  barbarians  were  rounded  up  on  the  Wash- 
ita  and  placed  on  their  reservations.  Had  this  been 
done  at  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  in  1864,  the  lives 
and  property  of  many  of  our  frontier  people  would 


336  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

have  been  saved ;  but  public  sentiment  in  the  East  was 
against  it,  and  the  bloody  work  was  allowed  to  go  on 
until  it  could  no  longer  be  endured. 

Our  Indian  troubles  having  thus  been  brought  to  a 
close  and  permanent  peace  assured,  Central  and  West- 
ern Kansas  soon  became  a  paradise  for  the  home-seek- 
ers. But  few  of  the  well-to-do  farmers  and  others  now 
residing  in  that  lovely  country,  have  even  a  remote  idea 
of  the  trials  and  tribulations  endured  by  the  pioneer 
settlers.  Many  of  them  had  been  soldiers  in  the  Civil 
War,  and  when  they  formed  in  line  on  the  frontier, 
they  were  there  to  stay.  Such  men  deserve  good 
homes. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

BBVIEW  —  PERSONAL 

HAVING  served  the  State  and  General  Govern- 
ment with  fidelity  and  shared  to  the  extent  of  my 
ability  in  protecting  the  lives  and  property  of  our  citi- 
zens, I  returned  home  at  the  close  of  eight  years  of 
strenuous  effort,  conscious  of  having  done  my  duty. 
The  record  I  left  to  my  successors  was  clean,  and  our 
proud  young  State  stood  out  in  bold  relief  among  the 
States  of  the  Union,  with  every  sail  spread  to  the 
breeze. 

Not  a  blot,  not  a  blemish  marred  the  new  Dread- 
nought of  the  West.  Not  a  doubt  was  entertained  con- 
cerning her  seaworthiness  nor  her  destination.  It 
may  be  true  that  her  pathway  has  at  times  been  ob- 
structed with  rubbish,  which  caused  a  slight  deviation 
from  her  true  course,  but  so  far  she  has  been  able  to 
round  such  rubbish  and  push  resolutely  forward  with 
the  flag  of  the  Union  flying  from  the  topmast. 

That  the  launching  and  the  piloting  of  this  steel- 
clad  structure  beyond  the  breakers,  were  done  amid 
stormy  weather,  goes  without  saying.  Those  who  were 
present  and  all  who  read,  know  of  the  obstacles  with 
which  Kansas  had  to  contend  in  early  days.  Until  the 
close  of  the  Civil  War  every  citizen  found  it  necessary 
to  sleep  on  his  arms ;  and  until  the  close  of  the  Indian 
wars,  the  frontier  settlers  stood  in  battle  array  to  pro- 
tect their  lives  and  property  against  well-equipped 
barbarians,  who  were  under  the  protecting  care  of  of- 
ficials who  should  have  been  sent  to  the  Dry  Tortugas. 

My  predecessors,  Governors  Robinson  and  Carney, 
were  kept  busy  trying  to  protect  the  south  and  east 

337 


338  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

borders  of  Kansas  against  the  thieves,  robbers,  and 
murderers,  who  prowled  among  the  woods  and  hills  of 
Western  Missouri  during  the  Civil  War,  and  hence 
they  had  little  time  to  devote  to  the  general  interests 
of  the  State.  In  fact,  the  young  men  of  the  State  were 
mostly  in  the  army,  and  there  was  not  much  that  could 
be  done  by  the  Legislature  and  the  State  officers  while 
the  War  was  raging. 

My  first  year  as  Governor  was  mostly  devoted  to 
the  reorganization  of  Kansas  regiments  in  the  field, 
the  protection  of  the  border,  and  the  mustering  out  of 
troops  whose  terms  of  service  had  expired.  But  when 
the  War  of  the  Rebellion  ceased  in  the  Spring  of  1865, 
I  set  about  to  lay  the  foundation  for  our  State  Gov- 
ernment and  State  institutions. 

As  yet,  nothing  had  been  done,  except  by  the  Leg- 
islature, in  locating  some  of  the  important  State  in- 
stitutions. The  credit  of  the  State  was  at  a  low  ebb, 
and  the  taxable  property  at  that  time  was  such  as  to 
require  the  State  to  make  haste  slowly.  But  we 
started  in  and  plodded  along  as  best  we  could;  and 
when  I  left  the  office,  the  east  wing  of  the  Capitol  was 
completed,  and  all  our  important  State  institutions 
were  in  successful  operation. 

A  heavy  immigration  was  pouring  into  the  State; 
new  homes  and  new  fields  were  springing  up  on  every 
hand;  vast  herds  of  domestic  animals  roamed  the 
prairies;  railroads  and  telegraph  lines  were  pushing 
their  way  westward;  and  the  wheels  of  industry  were 
moving  with  a  steadiness  of  purpose  that  encouraged 
everybody  to  be  up  and  doing. 

But  from  what  I  have  said  it  must  not  be  assumed 
that  the  State  authorities,  in  putting  the  State  Gov- 
ernment in  operation,  had  smooth  sailing  at  all  times. 
Often  we  were  sharply  criticised,  and  sometimes  our 
pathway  would  be  deliberately  obstructed  by  design- 
ing persons  for  selfish  purposes.  The  men  who  were 
plotting  to  absorb  the  lands  in  Indian  reservations, 


REVIEW  —  PERSON  ALi  339 

and  companies  that  were  scheming  to  have  the  State 
endorse  their  bonds  in  violation  of  our  Constitution, 
sometimes  controlled  newspapers,  and  they  would  often 
level  their  batteries  at  those  who  stood  in  their  way. 

For  a  while  one  of  the  leading  dailies  of  the  State 
was  under  the  control  of  these  land-grabbers  and 
bridge-builders.  They  employed  as  the  editor  of  their 
paper  one  of  the  most  brilliant  writers  in  the  West. 
In  due  time  he  was  instructed  to  open  fire  on  me,  and 
if  possible  prevent  my  renomination  as  the  Republi- 
can candidate  for  Governor. 

For  several  months,  while  my  time  was  almost  en- 
tirely consumed  on  the  western  frontier  in  helping  to 
protect  the  settlers  and  overland  trains  and  travel, 
this  paper  kept  up  an  incessant  fire.  I  paid  no  atten- 
tion to  it,  but  remained  at  my  post  of  duty.  When  the 
Convention  assembled  in  the  Fall  I  was  unanimously 
renominated,  and  subsequently  elected  for  a  second 
term  by  an  overwhelming  majority. 

That  had  a  sort  of  soothing  effect  on  the  policy  of 
the  paper,  and  thenceforward  the  editor  was  true  to 
himself.  Years  afterwards,  when  old  scores  had  been 
settled  and  forgotten,  this  same  editor,  who  in  other 
days  had  been  instructed  to  write  and  publish  things 
that  he  did  not  personally  endorse,  made  the  amende 
honorable  in  a  communication  published  in  The  Kan- 
sas City  Times,  which  in  part  reads  as  follows : 

In  January,  1865,  Samuel  J.  Crawford,  the  third  Gov- 
ernor of  Kansas,  was  inaugurated.  The  rainbow  of  peace 
was  just  forming  across  the  perturbed  and  storm-swept 
heavens  as  the  fighting  Governor  of  young,  heroic,  '  bleeding 
Kansas  '  assumed  executive  authority.  ...  To  Kansas 
more  than  any  other  Northern  State  peace  was  desirable. 
Her  eleven  years'  history  had  been  years  of  contention,  of 
blood,  of  tumult,  and  ceaseless  warring  and  strife.  The 
people,  wearied  of  dissension,  desired  an  era  of  peace  and 
prosperity.  Nothing  had  been  done  to  develop  the  State. 
Virgin  prairies  lay  untilled  and  untouched,  and  the  rich 
and  alluvial  soil  was  unvexed  with  the  tickling  hoe,  and  un- 


340  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

burdened  with  the  wealth  that  honest  husbandry  brings. 
The  golden  harvest  was  only  a  promise  of  the  future.  There 
was  propriety  in  allowing  the  soldier  to  lead  in  the  new  era 
of  industrial  development,  where 

"  Peace  hath  her  victories  no  less  renowned  than  war." 

Governor  Crawford  set  himself  right  about  adapting 
the  State  to  the  changed  order  of  things.  He  saw  at  once 
that  the  bugle  blast  was  no  more  to  be  heard  echoing  along 
our  valleys;  that  the  music  of  harvest  machinery  must  take 
the  place  of  the  call  to  arms ;  that  in  place  of  the  steady 
tramp  of  the  soldiery  would  come  the  immigrant's  covered 
wagon  and  the  moving  car.  No  railroads  had  yet  been  built, 
but  the  energy  of  the  people  that  could  raise  and  equip  such 
troops  and  in  such  countless  multitudes  north  and  south 
would  soon  call  into  being  the  multiplied  riches  of  the  New 
West.  The  railroads,  manufacturing  enterprises,  the  build- 
ing of  schools  and  colleges  and  public  institutions  could  find 
no  more  intelligent  and  practical  mind  than  that  of  Governor 
Crawford  to  aid  in  the  great  work  of  stimulating  the  ma- 
terial and  educational  growth  of  the  State.  His  administra- 
tion must  have  been  fortunate  and  successful,  for  he  was  the 
first  Governor  to  be  reflected,  and  no  four  years  in  the  history 
of  the  State  have  been  quite  so  prosperous  in  great  business 
enterprises,  in  railway  construction,  in  the  opening  of  farms, 
the  building  of  towns,  the  establishment  of  State  institu- 
tions, and  the  construction  of  public  buildings.  And  yet 
the  State  was  not  in  a  condition  of  profound  peace  during 
this  period  of  prosperity.  The  scalping  knife  of  the  In- 
dian got  in  its  fine  artistic  and  tonsorial  work  on  the  west- 
ern borders.  The  frontier  settlements  were  constantly  har- 
assed by  the  plains  Indians,  and  the  unprotected  border 
required  the  services  in  person  of  so  high  a  military  officer 
as  Major  General  Hancock.  The  atrocities  committed  by  the 
Indians  upon  Kansas  settlers  scarcely  find  a  parallel  in  the 
history  of  the  country.  The  appeals  of  the  plainsmen  were 
poured  into  ears  not  deaf,  and  found  a  lodgment  in  a  heart 
not  unsympathetic,  but  brave  as  that  of  Richard  Coeur  de 
Lion. 

Governor  Crawford  resigned  his  Governorship  and  again 
took  the  saddle,  placing  himself  at  the  head  of  that  gallant 
and  splendidly  equipped  regiment,  the  Nineteenth  Cavalry. 


REVIEW  —  PERSONAL  841 

Colonel  Crawford  led  the  expedition  against  the  Indians 
in  the  Fall  of  1868,  and  drove  the  combined  forces  of  Chey- 
ennes,  Comanches,  Kiowas,  and  Arapahoes  through  the  west- 
ern portion  of  the  Indian  Territory,  over  four  hundred  miles 
down  into  Northwestern  Texas.  It  took  all  Fall  and  the  entire 
Winter  to  accomplish  the  objects  of  the  campaign;  but  so 
thoroughly  was  the  job  done  that  the  Indians  were  glad  to 
surrender  all  prisoners  in  their  hands,  and  enter  into  treaties 
to  forever  maintain  peace  with  the  whites.  Since  then  the 
western  settlements  have  not  been  harmed  by  these  maraud- 
ers and  freebooters  of  the  plains.  The  joy  of  the  prisoners 
in  being  released  and  restored  once  more  to  their  friends 
can  only  be  imagined.  The  fruits  of  the  great  expedition 
were  imperishable. 

This  communication  shows  the  manly  spirit  that 
actuated  the  early  settlers  of  Kansas.  In  the  heat  of 
political  passion,  and  sometimes  for  selfish  purposes, 
one  would  do  or  say,  of  others,  things  that  would  not 
bear  the  light  of  truth ;  but  generally  such  persons  had 
the  manly  courage  to  make  amends.  Especially  was 
this  true  of  the  newspapers  whose  editors  did  their 
full  share  in  helping  to  mould  and  shape  the  character 
of  our  progressive  young  State. 

Generally  speaking,  I  had  the  undivided  support 
of  the  press  of  Kansas,  which  enabled  me  to  open  a 
road  through  the  wilderness  and  place  the  State  on  a 
solid  basis.  With  Rebels,  guerillas,  and  savage  bar- 
barians on  three  sides,  and  an  empty  treasury  at  the 
capital,  I  took  the  oath  of  office,  and  soon  learned  that 
facing  an  enemy  on  the  field  of  battle,  in  comparison 
to  what  then  confronted  me,  was  mere  child's  play. 

Nevertheless,  I  was  there  face  to  face  with  condi- 
tions which  had  to  L;  met,  and  I  met  them.  How  well, 
the  record  will  show.  It  was  a  trying  ordeal,  but  I 
mastered  the  situation ;  and  in  all  I  did,  I  trust  the  end 
justified  the  means.  That  I  made  mistakes  goes  with- 
out saying.  He  who  makes  no  mistakes  seldom  reaches 
his  objective  point  in  life. 


PART  THIRD 


PART  THIRD 


CHAPTER  XXV 

PEACE  AND  POLITICS 

TRIUMPH  OF  BOODLEES  IN  ELECTING  TJ.  S.  SENATOR  -  DE- 
FEAT OF  POMEROY  AND  ELECTION  OF  SENATOR  IN- 
GALLS. 


HE  wild  tribes  having  been  driven  from  the  State, 
and  permanent  peace  established,  I  sheathed  my 
sword  and  returned  to  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  life. 
Our  proud  young  Commonwealth  was  then  under  full 
sail,  four-square  to  the  wind,  with  my  successor,  a 
man  of  sterling  worth,  at  the  wheel.  In  the  Fall  of 
1869,  I  removed  to  the  flourishing  little  city  of  Em- 
poria  and  engaged  in  the  real-estate  business,  which 
afforded  the  outdoor  exercise  essential  to  my  health 
at  that  time. 

When  I  laid  aside  the  cares  and  responsibilities  of 
official  life,  under  which  I  had  been  laboring  for  eight 
years,  and  freed  myself  from  the  turmoil  and  strife  in- 
cident to  such  life,  I  did  so  with  the  settled  purpose 
of  having  nothing  more  to  do  with  politics  or  war. 
But  my  friends  in  different  parts  of  the  State  decided 
otherwise  and,  before  I  was  aware  of  the  fact,  had  my 
name  at  the  head  of  a  number  of  newspapers  as  a  can- 
didate for  the  U.  S.  Senate. 

The  term  of  service  of  the  Hon.  E.  G.  Ross  would 
expire  on  the  fourth  of  March,  1871,  and  they  desired 
to  elect  me  in  his  stead.  At  the  Fall  convention  pre- 

345 


346  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

ceding  the  Senatorial  election,  many  of  the  candidates 
nominated  were  instructed  to  vote  for  me,  and  many 
others  voluntarily  pledged  themselves  to  do  so.  Under 
these  circumstances  I  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  nega- 
tive their  efforts. 

When  the  Legislature  assembled  at  Topeka  in  Jan- 
uary, 1871,  I  was  there,  and  a  majority  of  the  mem- 
bers, the  first  week  of  the  session,  gave  me  assurance 
of  their  support.  My  friends  organized  the  House  by 
electing  the  Hon.  B.  F.  Simpson  of  Miami,  as  Speaker, 
and  they  were  also  in  the  majority  in  the  Senate  when 
the  Legislature  convened.  But  unfortunately  —  by 
reason  of  a  law  of  Congress,  which,  whether  so  in- 
tended or  not,  gave  boodlers  time  to  get  in  their  work 
—  the  two  Houses  could  not  vote  for  a  Senator  until 
the  second  Tuesday  after  they  convened. 

TRIUMPH   OF  BOODLERS  IN  ELECTING  U.   S.   SENATOR 

At  the  end  of  the  first  week  of  the  session  of  1871, 
the  boodlers  made  their  appearance  in  Topeka  with  a 
candidate  who  was  said  to  have  plenty  of  money,  and 
the  nefarious  work  of  bribing  the  members  began. 
Day  by  day,  and  at  night  as  well,  members  who  had 
been  instructed  and  elected  to  support  other  men  for 
the  Senate  were  rounded  up,  purchased  and  branded, 
until  a  majority  was  secured  who  were  willing  to  be- 
tray their  constituents  and  go  for  all  time  with  the 
double  crime  of  perjury  and  bribery  stamped  on  their 
character. 

They  elected  their  man,  who  in  due  time  appeared 
in  the  Senate  at  Washington,  and  subsequently  re- 
signed to  avoid  being  expelled  by  that  honorable  body. 
The  honorable  gentlemen  who  sold  their  votes,  be- 
trayed their  constituents,  and  committed  perjury, 
served  out  their  terms  in  the  Legislature,  and  then 
hied  themselves  away  to  their  homes  to  be  again 
branded  as  political  lepers. 

This  was  the  first  Senatorial  election  in  Kansas 


PEACE  AND  POLITICS  347 

where  money  was  openly  and  notoriously  used  in  the 
bribing  of  members,  and  that  it  was  so  used,  the  Re- 
port of  U.  S.  Senator  0.  P.  Morton,  Chairman  of  the 
Senate  Committee  on  Elections,  as  made  to  that  hon- 
orable body,  gives  ample  proof. 

But  it  should  not  be  assumed  that  the  Legislature 
of  1871,  or  even  a  majority  of  that  body,  was  corrupt. 
Some  of  the  members  who  supported  the  briber,  no 
doubt,  were  influenced  by  local  considerations;  while 
the  members  who  did  not  vote  for  him  were  men  true 
to  the  State  and  true  to  their  constituents.  To  those 
members  who  repelled  the  overtures  of  the  political 
pirates,  the  State  owes  a  debt  of  everlasting  gratitude. 
They  stood  like  heroes  and  fought  against  the  traitors 
that  were  tarnishing  the  fair  name  of  the  State. 

To  say  that  the  conduct  of  the  majority  of  that 
Legislature  in  electing  a  briber  to  the  United  States 
Senate  was  treason  to  the  State,  would  be  stating  the 
case  mildly.  It  was  treason  and  a  cowardly  attempt 
to  assassinate  the  State  Government  at  the  same  time. 
Far  better  would  it  have  been  had  they  plunged  the 
dagger  into  the  heart  of  the  Governor  and  all  the  State 
officers.  Their  removal  would  not  have  affected  the 
stability  of  the  State  Government,  because  they  could 
have  been  replaced ;  but  the  bribery  of  the  law-makers 
strikes  directly  at  the  foundation  of  free  government. 

DEFEAT    OF   POMEBOY  AND   ELECTION    OF    SENATOR   INGALL8 

The  example  set  by  that  Legislature  did  more  to 
corrupt  the  politics  of  Kansas  and  demoralize  future 
Legislatures  than  all  things  else  combined.  It  paved 
the  way  for  the  Legislature  of  1873  to  venture  on  a 
similar  expedition.  A  United  States  Senator  was  to 
be  elected,  and  one  of  the  candidates  —  in  his  zeal  to 
secure  the  coveted  prize  —  resorted  to  dark  ways  and 
vain  tricks,  the  same  as  had  been  done  by  the  success- 
ful aspirant  before  the  Legislature  of  1871. 

The  difference  between  these  two  would-be  states- 


348  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

men  and  their  methods,  was  slight ;  but  still  there  was 
a  difference.  The  one  regarded  the  members  of  the 
Legislature  as  so  many  cattle  to  be  purchased  in  the 
open  market,  branded  and  yoked  up  for  his  personal 
use,  as  had  been  his  custom  when  freighting  across  the 
plains;  while  the  other  looked  upon  them  as  so  many 
sheep  in  the  shambles,  from  which  he  could  make  his 
choice,  pay  his  money,  and  go  on  his  way  rejoicing. 

But  in  this  he  was  woefully  mistaken.  He  bought 
just  one  member  too  many  —  a  State  Senator  who  was 
seeking  proof  of  the  charges  afloat  in  Topeka  to  the 
effect  that  Senator  Pomeroy  was  bribing  the  members. 
That  Senator  (A.  M.  York)  visited  him  at  his  hotel 
at  the  dead  hour  of  midnight  and  received  an  offer  of 
seven  thousand  dollars  in  money  for  his  vote  and  sup- 
port. This  Senator  York  accepted,  and  the  following 
day  when  the  two  Houses  were  assembled  in  joint 
session  to  elect  a  U.  S.  Senator,  Mr.  York  arose  in  his 
place  and  exhibiting  the  money  he  had  received,  made 
a  full  statement  of  how  and  from  whom  it  was 
obtained. 

The  members  who  were  in  readiness  to  vote  for 
Mr.  Pomeroy,  were  suddenly  plunged  into  a  gulf  of 
dark  despair.  Some  of  them  were  pale  as  ghosts  with 
great  drops  of  sweat  standing  out  on  their  faces,  which 
showed  guilt  of  the  deepest  dye.  For  a  while  they 
were  dumbfounded  and,  no  doubt,  could  see  them- 
selves looking  through  the  bars;  but  gradually  the 
boodlers  recovered,  and  most  of  them  were  able  to 
articulate  when  their  names  were  called. 

On  the  other  hand  the  members  who  were  opposed 
to  the  man  who  was  trying  to  debauch  the  Legislature 
and  secure  his  election  to  the  U.  S.  Senate  by  bribery, 
were  elated  and  hopeful  for  the  future.  Without  ad- 
journing, they  immediately  counselled  among  them- 
selves and  submitted  the  name  of  Mr.  Ingalls,  a  bril- 
liant young  lawyer  of  Atchison,  to  the  joint  session,  as 
a  man  worthy  and  well  qualified  to  represent  the  State 


PEACE  AND  POLITICS  349 

in  the  U.  S.  Senate.    "  Vote,  vote,  vote,"  was  heard 
on  all  sides,  and  soon  the  voting  began. 

Mr.  Pomeroy,  whose  supporters  were  in  the  ma- 
jority when  the  two  Houses  met  in  joint  session  that 
day,  received  just  one  vote;  while  Mr.  Ingalls,  who 
had  not  previously  been  a  candidate,  received  all  the 
other  votes  —  except  a  few  scattering  Democratic 
votes  —  and  was  elected.  This  was  a  black  eye  for  the 
boodlers;  but  gradually  they  began  to  show  signs  of 
life.  Occasionally  they  have  gotten  in  their  nefarious 
work,  which,  generally  speaking,  has  resulted  in  their 
own  injury. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

PERILS  OF  THE  TAEIFF  POLICY 

AFTER  the  Civil  War  many  of  the  Union  soldiers 
and  others  came  West  to  grow  up  with  the  coun- 
try. Kansas,  having  free  homes  to  offer,  received  per- 
haps her  full  share  of  such  immigrants.  They  pushed 
westward  to  the  frontier,  and  rapidly  the  vast  prairies 
were  converted  into  beautiful  farms  interspersed  with 
flourishing  towns  and  cities.  The  railroads  kept  pace 
with  the  settlements,  and  sometimes  went  in  advance. 
In  fact,  all  the  industries  pertaining  to  a  newly  settled 
country  were  thriving,  and  the  people  were  happy  and 
prosperous. 

On  the  morning  of  September  23,  1873,  the  wires 
flashed  the  report  that  the  banks  of  New  York  were 
closing  in  a  panic  which  would  spread  over  the  coun- 
try. Soon  the  report  was  confirmed,  and  the  panic  was 
on.  It  was  the  first  since  the  War  and  the  people  gen- 
erally were  unprepared  for  it. 

I  was  one  of  the  early  victims.  Everything  I  had 
accumulated  was  swept  away  as  if  by  a  cyclone,  and 
the  same  was  true  of  others  no  better  prepared  for  a 
panic  than  myself.  We  all  faced  the  storm  as  best  we 
could,  selling  property  at  less  than  half  its  value  and 
paying  our  debts  as  far  as  the  money  would  go. 

I  even  sold  my  home,  which  was  exempt  under  the 
law,  and  distributed  the  money  pro  rata  among  my 
creditors,  still  leaving  an  unpaid  balance  of  several 
thousand  dollars,  all  of  which,  principal  and  interest, 
I  subsequently  paid  dollar  for  dollar. 

It  was  an  ordeal  through  which  a  sensitive  person 

350 


TARIFF  POLICY  351 

can  pass  only  once  in  a  lifetime.  In  fact  many  who 
were  hard  hit  by  the  panic  of  1873  did  not  get  through. 
Some  died,  and  others  became  insane. 

This  panic  followed  swiftly  on  the  heels  of  an  Act 
of  Congress  which  prohibited  the  free  coinage  of  sil- 
ver, and  reduced  the  value  of  the  silver  dollar  to  fifty 
cents.  At  that  time  the  Western  States  and  Terri- 
tories produced  over  one-half  of  the  silver  of  the 
world,  and  the  Act  of  Congress  was  a  terrific  blow  to 
the  silver  producers.  It  reduced  the  silver  to  a  com- 
modity; and  that,  with  a  carefully  worded  tariff,  en- 
abled the  grafters,  trusts,  and  combines  to  get  in  their 
work  and  lay  the  foundation  for  a  complete  monopoly 
of  the  leading  industries  of  the  country.  The  policy 
that  produced  that  panic  was  the  beginning  of  the  end. 

The  demonetization  of  silver,  however, —  which,  for 
the  time  being,  fell  with  crushing  weight  on  the  silver- 
producing  States,  and  disturbed  business  arrange- 
ments in  other  parts  of  the  country  —  was  but  a  drop 
in  the  ocean  as  compared  with  what  followed.  The 
Government  then  had  but  recently  emerged  from  a  gi- 
gantic war,  which  rendered  a  high  tariff  (for  revenue) 
essential ;  but  that  war  tariff,  high  as  it  had  been,  was 
being  gradually  reduced,  and  at  the  same  time  the  pub- 
lic debt  was  also  being  paid  off. 

But  the  grafters,  money-changers,  and  gold-gam- 
blers decided  upon  a  change ;  a  new  order  of  things ;  a 
get-rich-quick  policy,  which  will  lead  God  knows  where. 
The  old  policy  of  a  tariff  for  revenue,  with  incidental 
protection,  was  speedily  thrown  to  the  winds  and  a 
high  protective  tariff  substituted. 

The  arguments  offered  in  support  of  this  radical 
change  were: 

First:  To  protect  and  build  up  home  industries, 
scattered  broadcast  among  the  people,  where  they  were 
most  needed. 

Second:  To  shut  out  foreign  competition  and  fur- 
nish a  home  market  for  American  products. 


Third:  To  make  the  United  States  a  world  power, 
sailing  over  the  seas  with  chips  on  both  shoulders. 

How  well  the  tariff  has  done  its  work,  the  smoke- 
less chimneys  of  small  factories  all  over  the  country 
attest.  The  fabulous  prices  paid  by  the  farmers  for 
farm  implements,  wire,  lumber,  and  other  tariff-pro- 
tected articles  bear  witness  to  the  fallacy  of  a  high 
protective  tariff.  The  tariff-protected  infant  industry 
of  Pennsylvania,  commonly  called  the  Steel  Trust, 
which  has  absorbed  or  crushed  rival  plants  and  holds 
a  monopoly  on  the  iron  and  steel  required  by  the  rail- 
roads and  by  the  Government  in  the  building  of  battle- 
ships, ought  to  be  sufficient  to  satisfy  any  intelligent 
man  as  to  the  injustice  of  a  prohibitive  tariff. 

Every  dollar  of  money  acquired  by  the  Govern- 
ment, through  the  medium  of  a  tariff,  comes  out  of  the 
pockets  of  the  American  people.  The  importer  simply 
adds  the  duty  to  the  thing  imported  and  the  consumer 
pays  it.  In  other  words,  it  is  an  indirect  tax  of  at  least 
five  hundred  million  dollars  annually,  more  than  is 
necessary  and  more  than  the  American  people  are  able 
to  pay.  It  is  an  imposition  that  should  not  be  possible 
under  a  republican  form  of  government.  And  if  it  is 
not  speedily  corrected  by  Congress,  the  American  vot- 
ers will  probably  correct  Congress. 

Most  of  our  tariff  laws  enacted  since  1873  have 
been  in  all  respects  bad;  but  the  last,  known  as  the 
11  Aldrich  Bill,"  should  have  been  entitled  a  Bill  to 
confiscate  the  property  of  the  many  for  the  benefit  of 
the  few. 


CHAPTEE  XXVII 

STATE   CLAIMS   AND  BAILEOAD   GRANTS APPOINTED    STATE 

AGENT  AT   WASHINGTON 

AFTER  the  panic  of  1873,  business  gradually  ad- 
justed itself  to  changed  conditions,  leaving  the 
trail  strewn  with  wreckage  that  took  years  to  remove. 
But  all  who  had  not  been  permanently  disabled,  buckled 
on  their  armor  and  renewed  the  battle. 

The  bottom  having  dropped  out  of  the  work  in 
which  I  was  engaged,  I  removed  to  Topeka  in  1875 
and  soon  thereafter  was  employed  by  Governor  Os- 
born  to  prosecute  certain  claims  of  the  State  against 
the  United  States  for  money  due  the  State  on  account 
of  military  expenditures ;  money  due  on  account  of  the 
sale  of  public  lands  within  the  State ;  and  also  a  claim 
for  indemnity  school  lands  granted  by  Congress,  but 
withheld  by  the  Interior  Department  under  a  misinter- 
pretation of  the  law. 

To  these  matters  I  applied  myself  diligently  and 
finally  obtained  a  favorable  decision  in  each  case.  The 
military  claims  were  adjusted  by  a  board  of  army  offi- 
cers detailed  for  the  purpose  by  the  Secretary  of  War. 
The  claim  of  the  State  for  five  per  cent  of  the  sale  of 
public  lands  and  the  claim  for  indemnity  school  lands, 
were  adjusted  in  the  Interior  and  Treasury  depart- 
ments, under  an  opinion  from  the  Department  of  Jus- 
tice, defining  the  meaning,  intent,  and  purpose  of  the 
laws  under  which  the  State  was  acting. 

As  a  result  of  this  work  I  recovered  for  the  State, 
school  lands  and  moneys  as  follows : 

353 


354  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

School  lands  secured 276,376  Acres 

Five-per-cent    fund   secured    ....  $405,906.00 

Military  fund  secured 369,338.00 

Direct  Tax  fund  secured 71,743.00 


Total  moneys  received      ....         $841,587.00 

APPOINTED  STATE  AGENT  AT  WASHINGTON 

In  addition  to  this  work  I  was  authorized  by  an  act 
of  the  State  Legislature,  approved  March  6,  1883,  to 
secure  an  adjustment  of  railroad  land  grants  within 
the  State  as  follows : 

That  the  Hon.  S.  J.  Crawford,  State  Agent,  be  and  is 
hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to  represent  the  State  of 
Kansas  before  the  Executive  Departments  of  the  Government 
at  Washington,  and  before  such  committees  of  Congress 
as  may  be  necessary  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  grants  of 
land  made  by  Congress  to  and  in  the  construction  of  rail- 
roads within  the  State  of  Kansas.  And  that  in  the  execu- 
tion of  his  authority  under  this  act  he  shall  investigate  and 
ascertain  the  amount  of  land  granted  by  Congress  for  the 
benefit  of  railroads  in  Kansas,  and  the  amount  to  which  each 
of  said  railroad  companies  was  or  is  entitled  as  indemnity. 
Also  the  amount  withdrawn,  transferred,  or  set  apart  for  such 
purposes,  and  whether  in  the  adjudication  of  such  grants 
the  just  rights  of  the  State  or  of  citizens  thereof  have  been 
impaired.  The  said  agent  is  hereby  authorized  to  adopt  such 
measures  and  take  such  action  in  the  premises,  either  by 
petition,  application,  motion,  or  otherwise,  as  may  be  neces- 
sary, to  the  end  that  the  interests  of  the  State  and  of  citizens 
thereof  may  be  secured  and  protected. 

In  pursuance  of  this  authority  and  in  obedience  to 
its  requirements,  I  proceeded  at  once  to  reconnoitre 
the  situation  and  ascertain  the  position  and  strength 
of  the  opposing  forces. 

Fortunately,  I  found  at  the  head  of  the  Interior 
Department  an  honest  man,  the  Hon.  Henry  M.  Teller, 
to  whom  I  presented  an  outline  of  the  matters  en- 
trusted to  my  care  by  the  State.  After  securing  such 


STATE  AGENT  AT   WASHINGTON  355 

data  as  were  of  record  only  in  that  Department,  I  pre- 
pared and  submitted  to  the  Honorable  Secretary  briefs 
and  arguments  covering  all  important  questions  relat- 
ing to  railroad  land-grants  in  Kansas,  and  their  ad- 
justment by  the  Department  of  the  Interior. 

In  1862,  Congress  made  a  grant  of  the  odd-num- 
bered sections  of  public  land  within  twenty  miles  of 
the  line  of  a  road  (the  Union  Pacific  and  its  branches) 
to  be  constructed  from  the  Missouri  River  westward 
over  the  mountains  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  That  grant, 
with  other  franchises,  was  exceedingly  liberal,  but  it 
opened  a  trunk  line  for  travel  and  transportation 
across  the  continent,  and  proved  to  be  of  incalculable 
benefit  to  the  Government  and  the  Western  States  and 
Territories. 

In  1863,  grants  of  land  were  made  to  the  State  of 
Kansas,  of  ten  sections  (odd-numbered)  per  mile  on 
each  side  of  certain  roads  to  be  constructed  within  the 
State.  These  grants  were  also  reasonable  and  of  great 
value  to  the  State  and  country.  Had  Congress  ad- 
hered to  this  policy,  which  insured  the  building  of  the 
roads  and  at  the  same  time  enhanced  the  value  of  the 
even-numbered  sections  with  in  the  limits  of  the 
grants,  all  concerned  would  have  been  benefited. 

But  Congress  was  not  satisfied  to  let  well-enough 
alone.  Its  previous  grants  in  disposing  of  a  part  of 
the  public  lands  for  the  public  good,  had  proved  so  sat- 
isfactory and  beneficial  to  the  country  that  it  resolved 
to  go  into  the  land-granting  business  on  a  large  scale. 

In  1866,  presuming  upon  the  generosity  of  the  peo- 
ple, Congress  made  three  grants :  one  to  the  Southern 
Pacific  road  from  El  Paso  to  California ;  one  to  the  At- 
lantic and  Pacific  through  New  Mexico  and  Arizona; 
and  one  to  the  Northern  Pacific.  These  grants  em- 
braced all  the  odd-numbered  sections  of  public  lands 
within  forty  miles  on  each  side  of  the  roads  respec- 
tively. These  grants  were  equivalent  to  a  solid  belt  of 
land  120  miles  wide  and  about  1500  miles  long.  Need 


356  KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 

anybody  wonder  how  it  was  possible  for  the  presidents 
of  two  of  these  roads  to  leave,  each  at  his  death,  an  es- 
tate valued  at  seventy  million  dollars? 

Had  these  grants  been  reduced  one-half,  the  roads 
would  have  been  built,  as  were  the  Union  Pacific  and 
its  branches.  But  these  are  matters  that  belong  to  the 
past ;  and  perhaps  it  is  best  to  * '  let  the  dead  Past  bury 
its  dead." 

The  grants  of  land  to  the  State  for  the  benefit  of 
Kansas  roads  were  moderate,  and  the  lands  granted 
were  earned  by  the  beneficiary  companies.  But  some 
of  the  companies  were  not  satisfied  with  the  lands 
granted,  and  to  which  they  were  lawfully  entitled.  Two 
of  the  companies  (the  Kansas  Pacific  and  the  Mis- 
souri, Kansas,  and  Texas)  set  up  claims  to  lands  occu- 
pied by  bona  fide  settlers  when  their  grants  were  made 
by  Congress,  and  for  some  unknown  reason  the  Gen- 
eral Land  Office  was  ruling  and  deciding  against  the 
settlers. 

The  grant  for  the  benefit  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka 
and  Santa  Fe  road  was  of  every  odd-numbered  section 
of  land  within  ten  miles  of  the  line,  from  Atchison  to 
the  west  line  of  the  State,  and  where  any  of  such  sec- 
tions or  parts  thereof  had  been  sold  or  otherwise  dis- 
posed of,  then,  in  lieu  of  the  lands  so  sold  or  disposed 
of,  the  company  was  authorized  to  select  other  lands 
within  an  additional  or  second  ten-mile  limit. 

From  Atchison  along  the  line  of  the  road  to  Flor- 
ence, a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  most 
of  the  lands  within  the  limits  of  the  grant  had  been 
sold  to  settlers  or  were  occupied  by  Indians.  So  it  be- 
came necessary  for  the  company  to  select  indemnity 
lands.  From  Florence  to  the  west  line  of  the  State,  a 
distance  of  about  two  hundred  and  sixty  miles,  the 
lands  within  the  grant  were,  generally  speaking,  un- 
occupied and  the  grant  to  that  extent  was  satisfied; 
but  for  the  lands  lost  to  the  grant,  east  of  Florence, 
lieu  lands  were  selected  in  the  second  ten-mile  limit 
.west  from  that  point. 


STATE  AGENT  AT  WASHINGTON  357 

The  State  and  people  of  Kansas  were  deeply  in- 
terested in  having  the  grants  to  Kansas  roads  properly 
adjusted.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  State  to  protect  its 
citizens  in  their  lawful  rights.  The  railroads  were 
amply  able  to  protect  themselves,  their  right  to  lands 
granted  being  attached  the  moment  their  lines  of  road 
were  definitely  located,  and  maps  thereof  approved  by 
the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  and  filed  in  the  General 
Land  Office. 

Until  this  was  done,  the  lands  within  the  limits  of 
the  grants,  respectively,  were  subject  to  the  settlement 
rights  of  the  people,  the  same  as  other  public  lands. 
These  and  all  other  questions  relating  to  land  grants 
and  their  administration  by  the  Executive  Department 
had  been  decided  by  the  Supreme  Court,  and  the  grant- 
ing acts  so  interpreted  were  plain  and  clear. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  grant  to  the  Kansas  Pacific 
road  and  also  to  the  Santa  Fe  and  the  Missouri,  Kan- 
sas and  Texas,  thousands  of  bona  fide  settlers  had 
selected  and  filed  upon  homesteads  prior  to  the  definite 
location  of  said  roads.  Nevertheless,  under  the  rul- 
ings and  practice  of  the  G-eneral  Land  Office,  their  fil- 
ings, generally  speaking,  were  cancelled  and  their 
homesteads  given  to  the  railroads.  Besides,  vast 
quantities  of  public  land  to  which  the  settlers  were  en- 
titled under  the  homestead  and  preemption  laws  were 
being  certified  to  the  railroad  companies  without  the 
shadow  of  authority  of  law. 

To  check  these  outrageous  proceedings  and  have 
restored  to  market  the  public  lands  which  had  been 
erroneously  withdrawn  and  certified  to  the  railroad 
companies,  the  Legislature  passed  the  act,  above 
quoted,  authorizing  me  to  secure  an  adjustment  of  all 
railroad  grants  within  the  State.  That,  of  course, 
meant  a  fight  to  the  finish.  The  railroad  attorneys, 
able  and  conscious  of  their  power,  presented  a  bold 
front  and  seemed  anxious  for  the  fray.  I  opened  the 
battle  with  the  briefs  mentioned  above  which  soon 
brought  the  old  guard  to  their  feet  with  a  loud  call  for 


358  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

help.     I  followed  this  with  a  general  onslaught,  and 
drove  the  gentlemen  across  the  ' '  bridge  of  sighs. ' ' 

Nothing  on  either  side  was  overlooked  or  left  un- 
done. Briefs  and  arguments  followed  each  other  in 
rapid  succession,  until,  finally,  the  opposing  counsel 
were  driven  from  the  field,  and  sought  shelter  behind 
a  brush-heap  fortification  known  in  the  Department  as 
res  judicata.  From  this  untenable  position  they  were 
speedily  dislodged  and  driven  to  the  necessity  of 
throwing  themselves  upon  the  mercy  of  the  court.  The 
Department  then  proceeded  to  adjust  the  grants  and, 
after  giving  the  railroad  companies  the  benefit  of 
every  doubt,  compelled  them  to  relinquish  their  claim 
to  an  amount  exceeding  900,000  acres  situated  along 
the  lines  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  and  the  Atchison,  To- 
peka,  and  Santa  Fe  roads. 

The  questions  involving  the  right  and  title  to  lands 
within  the  limits  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  grant  dragged 
their  weary  length  around  in  the  Interior  Department 
for  two  years  and  more.  They  were  argued  and  re- 
argued  in  the  General  Land  Office  and  also  before  the 
Honorable  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  the  Attorney 
General,  and  Committees  of  Congress. 

At  some  of  these  hearings  the  Honorable  Charles 
Francis  Adams,  president  of  the  Union  Pacific  of  which 
the  Kansas  Pacific  was  a  branch,  was  present  and  ex- 
pressed himself  as  astonished  at  the  manner  in  which 
that  grant  had  been  administered.  The  facts  then  and 
previously  presented  to  the  Department  were  new  to 
him ;  and  no  doubt  he  used  his  influence  thereafter  to 
have  the  grant  properly  adjusted,  in  so  far  as  the 
previous  wrongdoing  could  be  remedied. 

The  great  obstacle  in  the  way  of  procuring  an  hon- 
est administration  of  the  law  relating  to  land  grants 
in  those  days,  was  the  tremendous  power  and  influence 
of  the  railroad  companies.  They  used  that  power  in 
furtherance  of  their  schemes  wherever  it  would  prove 
most  effective.  They  had  wheels  within  wheels  - 
skilfully  arranged  —  so  that  the  motive  power  on  Cap- 


STATE  AGENT  AT  WASHINGTON  359 

itol  Hill  (the  Kailroad  and  Public  Land  Committees 
in  the  two  Houses)  could  set  even  the  cogs  in  the  rail- 
road divisions  of  the  Interior  Department  a-humming. 

Some  of  the  cogs  were  extremely  biassed ;  and  it 
usually  so  happened  that  when  their  services  were  no 
longer  required  by  the  Government,  they  would  re- 
tire and  immediately  find  themselves  in  the  employ  of 
the  railroad  company  whose  claims  had  been  most  lib- 
erally adjusted.  Nor  was  this  custom  confined  exclu- 
sively to  law  clerks  and  chiefs  of  divisions.  Higher  of- 
ficials have  been  known  to  resign  and  enter  the  service 
of  railroad  companies  whose  land-grants  had  been  ad- 
justed to  their  satisfaction. 

But  this  does  not  apply  to  Henry  M.  Teller,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Interior,  nor  to  N.  C.  McFarland  and  W.  A. 
J.  Sparks,  Commissioners  of  the  General  Land  Office 
while  the  Kansas  grants  were  being  adjusted.  These 
officials  did  their  duty  to  the  extent  of  their  ability,  and 
the  same  was  true  of  Secretary  Lamar,  who  stood  like 
a  lion  in  the  pathway  of  evil-doers,  but  was  without 
experience  in  the  adjustment  of  land  grants. 

However,  he  applied  himself  diligently,  and  would 
have  adjusted  all  land  grants  according  to  law,  had  he 
been  allowed  to  remain  at  the  head  of  the  department. 
But  that  was  not  to  be.  He  could  do  less  harm  to  land 
pirates  elsewhere ;  so  an  influence  was  brought  to  bear 
on  President  Cleveland,  and  he  was  transferred  to  the 
Supreme  Bench.  What  followed,  the  record  shows. 
Suffice  to  say  that  the  railroads  received  all  the  land 
to  which  they  were  entitled  under  the  law. 


CHAPTEE  XXVIII 

GENERAL  PRACTICE 

RECOVERY  OP  LANDS  AND  MONEYS  FOR  THE  INDIANS  — 
QUAPAW  TREATIES  AND  GOVERNMENTAL  MISMANAGE- 
MENT. 

HAVING  completed  the  work  for  which  I  was  em- 
ployed by  the  State,  and  also  having  secured  a 
fair  adjustment  of  railroad  land-grants  in  Kansas,  I 
turned  my  attention  to  the  general  practice  of  the  law 
in  Washington  City.  In  the  course  of  this  practice,  I 
prosecuted  many  cases  involving  the  rights  of  settlers 
to  their  homes  under  the  homestead  and  preemption 
laws. 

I  was  also  employed  by  many  of  the  Indian  tribes 
and  nations  to  secure  for  them  lands  and  moneys  to 
which  they  were  entitled  under  their  respective  treaties 
and  laws  of  Congress.  Some  of  these  cases  were  of  in- 
terest to  the  public  as  well  as  to  the  Indians,  and  on 
that  account  I  deem  it  worth  while  to  make  mention  of 
them  specially. 

In  pursuance  of  treaties  dating  back  for  many 
years,  most  of  the  tribes  and  nations  whom  I  repre- 
sented had  been  removed  from  State  to  State  until 
they  were  finally  located  in  Kansas  and  the  Indian 
Territory. 

Prior  to  their  removal  westward,  the  country  west 
of  the  Mississippi  Eiver  and  extending  northward 
from  the  Eed  Eiver  of  the  South  to  the  British  posses- 
sions, was  occupied  from  time  immemorial  by  the  so- 
called  wild  tribes  and  plains  Indians:  namely,  The 
Quapaws,  Caddos,  Wichitas,  Osages,  Cheyennes,  Ara- 

360 


GENERAL  PRACTICE  361 

pahoes,  Apaches,  Comanches,  Kiowas,  Kansas  or 
Kaws,  Pawnees,  Sioux,  and  Chippewas. 

These  Indians  roamed  the  plains,  and  subsisted 
mainly  on  buffalo  meat  and  other  wild  game.  Finally, 
suitable  tracts  of  land,  or  reservations  as  they  were 
called,  were  set  apart  by  treaty  stipulations  to  each  of 
said  tribes,  leaving  room  for  their  brethren  from  east 
of  the  Mississippi. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  last  century,  these  eastern 
tribes  began  to  cross  the  Mississippi.  The  Cherokees, 
Creeks,  Seminoles,  Choctaws,  and  Chickasaws  were  as- 
signed reservations  in  what  is  now  the  State  of  Ok- 
lahoma, and  the  Delawares,  Wyandots,  Kickapoos, 
lowas,  Otos,  Potawatamis,  Shawnees,  Ottawas,  Sac  and 
Foxes,  Peorias,  Miamis,  and  New  York  Indians,  were 
located  on  reservations  which  fell  within  the  Territory 
of  Kansas. 

These  tribes  so  located  in  Kansas,  together  with 
the  aborigines  subsequently  ceded  their  lands  to  the 
United  States  and  removed  to  Oklahoma,  where,  as 
with  the  tribes  already  there,  lands  were  allotted  in 
severalty  to  the  individual  Indians. 

In  treating  with  the  various  tribes  east  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi for  the  purpose  of  having  them  remove  west, 
the  Government  was  exceedingly  liberal  in  its  promises 
of  lands,  money,  and  other  property ;  and  the  same  was 
true  in  its  dealings  with  the  wild  tribes  in  order  to  get 
them  to  settle  down  on  the  reservations  assigned  them. 

"When  these  liberal  promises  and  extensive  grants 
were  made,  the  lands  embraced  in  the  reservations 
were  regarded  as  of  little  value  except  for  hunting  pur- 
poses. But  in  this  the  Government  was  mistaken.  The 
lands  in  most  of  the  reservations  subsequently  proved 
to  be  exceedingly  valuable  for  agricultural,  mineral, 
and  grazing  purposes.  So  much  so  that  it  became  al- 
most impossible  for  the  Government  to  protect  the  In- 
dians in  their  lawful  rights  as  guaranteed  by  treaty 
stipulations. 


362  KANSAS   IN    THE   SIXTIES 

RECOVERY  OF  LANDS  AND  MONEYS  FOR  THE  INDIANS 

To  establish  their  rights  and  recover  vast  tracts  of 
land  which  had  virtually  been  confiscated,  the  leading 
tribes  employed  counsel  to  represent  them  in  the  de- 
partments and  before  the  courts  and  committees  of 
Congress.  I  was  employed  by  the  eastern  Cherokees, 
Creeks,  Seminoles,  Choctaws,  Chickasaws,  Quapaws, 
Cheyennes,  and  Arapahoes. 

For  the  eastern  Cherokees,  with  the  assistance  of 
co-counsel,  we  obtained  a  decision  from  the  Supreme 
court  authorizing  the  members  of  that  band  to  share 
in  the  allotment  of  the  tribal  lands  in  the  Indian  Terri- 
tory, which  insured  each  one  a  valuable  home. 

For  the  Creeks,  we  recovered  two  million,  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty  thousand  dollars  in  lieu  of  lands  pre- 
viously taken  by  the  Government  to  be  opened  to 
settlement  in  Western  Oklahoma;  also  six  hundred 
thousand  dollars  for  the  loyal  Creeks  on  account  of 
property  taken  or  destroyed  by  the  enemy  during  the 
Civil  War. 

For  the  Seminoles,  John  F.  Brown  and  I  recovered 
one  million,  nine  hundred  and  twelve  thousand  dollars 
for  lands  appropriated  by  the  Government  for  white 
settlement  in  Western  Oklahoma;  also  one  hundred 
and  eighty-seven  thousand  dollars  for  property  lost, 
for  which  the  Government  was  responsible.  Brown 
was  Governor  of  that  nation,  and  a  man  among  men. 

For  the  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws,  Captain  J.  S. 
Stanley  and  others,  with  my  assistance,  secured  two 
million,  nine  hundred  and  ninety-two  thousand  dollars 
in  payment  for  lands  appropriated  by  the  Government 
and  given  to  other  Indians. 

For  the  Cheyennes  and  Arapahoes,  Matt.  G.  Eey- 
nolds  and  I,  assisted  by  Colonels  Dyer  and  Miles,  re- 
covered one  million,  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  and 
also  an  additional  allotment  of  eighty  acres  for  each 
member  of  the  two  tribes,  on  account  of  a  reservation 
in  Northern  Oklahoma  which  the  Government  desired 
for  white  settlement. 


GENERAL  PRACTICE  363 

For  the  Quapaws,  Mr.  A.  "W.  Abrams,  Secretary  of 
the  National  Council,  and  I,  did  more.  This  tribe  or 
nation,  originally  owned  and  occupied  a  large  reserva- 
tion of  valuable  lands  in  what  is  now  the  State  of  Ar- 
kansas. These  lands  were  theirs  by  right  of  discovery, 
and  had  been  occupied  from  time  immemorial. 

By  treaty,  proclaimed  January  5,  1818,  the  tribe 
ceded  and  conveyed  to  the  United  States  for  a  nominal 
sum,  all  their  lands  west  of  the  Mississippi  River, 
except  a  reservation  south  of  the  Arkansas  Eiver, 
embracing  about  two  million  acres ;  and  by  treaty,  pro- 
claimed February  18,  1825,  the  United  States  pur- 
chased this  reservation  at  less  than  one  cent  per  acre 
to  be  paid  for  in  goods,  chattels,  and  unfulfilled 
promises. 

This  sharp  practice  in  land-dealing  on  the  part  of 
the  Government,  wiped  out  all  right,  title,  and  interest 
of  the  Quapaws  in  and  to  their  vast  reservation  in  Ar- 
kansas, and  sent  them  as  paupers  and  beggars  to  a 
sickly  locality  on  Eed  Eiver,  where  one-fourth  of  the 
tribe  died  from  disease  and  starvation  within  a  short 
period. 

The  Government,  becoming  ashamed  of  its  in- 
famous treatment  of  the  Quapaws,  concluded  another 
treaty  with  them  on  May  13,  1833,  from  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  an  extract : 

QUAPAW    TREATIES    AND    GOVERNMENTAL    MISMANAGEMENT 

Whereas,  by  the  treaty  between  the  United  States  and 
the  Quapaw  Indians,  concluded  November  15th,  1824,  they 
ceded  to  the  United  States  all  their  lands  in  the  Territory 
of  Arkansas,  and  according  to  which  they  were  "  to  be  con- 
centrated and  confined  to  a  district  of  country  inhabited  by 
the  Caddo  Indians  and  form  a  part  of  said  tribe  ";  and 
whereas  they  did  remove  according  to  the  stipulations  of 
said  treaty,  and  settled  on  the  Bayou  Treache  on  the  south 
side  of  Red  River,  on  a  tract  of  land  given  them  by  the 
Caddo  Indians,  but  which  was  found  subject  to  frequent 
inundations  on  account  of  the  raft  on  Red  River ;  and  where 
their  crops  were  destroyed  by  the  water  year  after  year; 


364  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

and  which  also  proved  to  be  a  very  sickly  country ;  and  where 
in  a  short  time,  nearly  one-fourth  of  their  people  died;  and 
whereas  they  could  obtain  no  other  situation  from  the  Cad- 
dos  and  they  refused  to  incorporate  them  and  receive  them 
as  a  constituent  part  of  their  tribe  as  contemplated  by  their 
treaty  with  the  United  States ;  and  as  they  saw  no  alternative 
but  to  perish  if  they  continued  there,  or  to  return  to  their 
old  residence  on  the  Arkansas,  they  therefore  chose  the  lat- 
ter; and  whereas  they  now  find  themselves  very  unhappily 
situated  in  consequence  of  having  their  little  improvements 
taken  from  them  by  the  settlers  of  the  country;  and  being 
anxious  to  secure  a  permanent  and  peaceable  home,  the  fol- 
lowing articles  or  treaty  are  agreed  upon  between  the  United 
States  and  the  Quapaw  Indians  by  John  F.  Schermerhorn 
.  .  .  commissioners  of  Indian  affairs  west,  and  the 
chiefs  and  warriors  of  said  Quapaw  Indians,  this  (13th) 
thirteenth  day  of  May,  1833.  .  .  . 

Article  1.  The  Quapaw  Indians  hereby  relinquish  and 
convey  to  the  United  States  all  their  right  and  title  to  the 
lands  given  them  by  the  Caddo  Indians  on  the  Bayou  Treache 
of  Red  River.  .  .  . 

Article  II.  The  United  States  hereby  agree  to  convey  to 
the  Quapaw  Indians  one  hundred  and  fifty  sections  of  land 
west  of  the  State  line  of  Missouri  and  between  the  lands  of 
the  Senecas  and  Sh^wnees,  not  heretofore  assigned  to  any 
other  tribe  of  Indians,  the  same  to  be  selected  and  assigned 
by  the  commissioners  of  Indian  affairs  West,  and  which  is 
expressly  designed  to  be  [in]  lieu  of  their  location  on  Red 
River,  and  to  carry  into  effect  the  treaty  of  1824,  in  order 
to  provide  a  permanent  home  for  their  nation;  the  United 
States  agree  to  convey  the  same  by  patent,  to  them  and  their 
descendants  as  long  as  they  shall  exist  as  a  nation  or  con- 
tinue to  reside  thereon,  and  they  also  agree  to  protect  them 
in  their  new  residence,  against  all  interruption  or  disturb- 
ance from  any  other  tribe  or  nation  of  Indians  or  from  any 
other  person  or  persons  whatever. 

From  this  treaty,  as  will  be  observed,  the  Quapaws 
received  one  hundred  and  fifty  sections  of  land  in  ex- 
change for  lands  on  Eed  River,  and  were  promised 
Letters  Patent  therefor  as  evidence  of  their  title. 


GENERAL  PRACTICE  365 

Upon  these  lands  they  settled,  built  homes,  and  would 
have  lived  in  ease  and  comfort,  but  for  their  subse- 
quent treatment  by  the  Indian  Office  and  its  agents. 

For  years  under  some  of  their  agents,  they  were 
not  allowed  to  lease  their  lands  for  grazing  or  agricul- 
tural purposes,  while  at  the  same  time  their  broad 
prairies,  covered  with  luxuriant  grasses,  were  leased 
by  some  of  their  agents,  ostensibly,  under  instructions 
from  the  Indian  Office.  That  may  have  been  true,  but 
if  so,  it  was  unjust.  It  was  an  infringement  on  their 
legal  rights  as  owners  of  the  soil,  and  embarrassed 
them  seriously,  because,  as  yet,  they  were  just  begin- 
ning to  learn  how  to  farm.  They  owned  the  lands  by 
title  in  fee  simple ;  but  being  wards  of  the  Government 
by  the  right  of  might,  they  had  to  submit  to  the  decree 
of  their  guardian. 

But  through  the  dark  gloom  of  half  a  century,  they 
finally  began  to  approach  the  light.  There  came  among 
them  a  young  man  fresh  from  the  war,  who  was  accus- 
tomed to  the  rattle  of  musketry  and  the  roar  of  artil- 
lery; and  their  good  judgment  told  them  that  they 
needed  him  in  their  business.  They  had  been  buffeted 
from  pillar  to  post  until  it  seemed  as  though  they  had 
no  rights  that  even  their  guardian  was  bound  to 
respect. 

They,  therefore,  pleaded  with  this  young  artillery- 
man to  stay  and  become  one  of  them.  Having  Indian 
blood  in  his  veins  and  learning  of  the  wrongs  that  had 
been  heaped  upon  his  brethren,  he  finally  yielded  to 
their  solicitations  and  agreed  to  stay.  He  knew  it  was 
an  enlistment  for  another  war  and  a  fight  to  the  finish ; 
but  he  took  off  his  coat  and  said,  "  Let  the  battle  be- 
gin !  '  This  was  A.  W.  Abrams,  whose  section  of  the 
Third  Kansas  Battery  always  spoke  with  no  uncertain 
sound  when  the  battle  was  on. 

Soon  thereafter  Mr.  Abrams  was  selected  as  Secre- 
tary of  the  Tribal  Council,  and  at  once  began  to  form 
his  lines  for  action,  offensive  and  defensive.  Vultures 


366  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

in  human  form  —  officials  and  others  —  were  perched 
on  viewpoints  in  and  all  round  the  reservation,  ready 
to  swoop  down  and  gobble  up  anything  and  everything 
the  Indians  possessed,  ranging  from  an  Indian  pony 
to  the  entire  body  of  Quapaw  lands. 

Not  satisfied  with  a  permit  from  the  agent  to  graze 
vast  herds  of  stock  in  their  pastures,  free  of  rental  in 
so  far  as  the  Indians  were  concerned,  a  smart  set  from 
without,  a  secret  conspiracy  formed  whereby  it  was 
proposed  to  have  all  the  Quapaws  abandon  their  res- 
ervation and  remove  to  the  Osage  country,  as  they  had 
previously  been  tricked  into  doing  when  they  gave  up 
their  lands  in  Arkansas  and  joined  the  Caddos  on  Red 
River. 

A  clause  in  their  treaty  (above  quoted),  as  will  be 
observed,  provided  that  the  lands  should  be  their  prop- 
erty so  long  as  they  continued  to  reside  thereon. 
Therefore,  if  they  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  move  off, 
the  lands  would  become  vacant,  and,  hence,  the  conspir- 
ators would  have  a  wide  and  rich  field  in  which  to 
operate. 

Against  this  gigantic  scheme,  Mr.  Abrams  and  the 
chief  and  council  set  their  faces  resolutely.  They  ap- 
plied to  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs  and  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior,  for  authority  to  allot  their 
lands  to  the  members  of  the  tribe  in  severalty,  but 
their  application  was  rejected.  Then  they  appealed  to 
Congress  for  such  authority,  and  there  they  met  with 
no  better  success.  Then  they  came  to  me  for  advice 
and  counsel. 

After  examining  their  treaties  and  satisfying  my- 
self as  to  the  validity  of  their  title,  I  gave  them  an 
opinion  as  to  the  proper  course  to  pursue.  The  lands 
were  held  by  the  tribe  in  common  with  a  conditional 
fee-simple  title.  The  condition,  as  expressed  in  the 
treaty,  was  nugatory,  because  the  Indians  were  not  go- 
ing to  become  extinct  nor  abandon  their  lands.  I  was 
therefore  employed  to  assist  them  and  Mr.  Abrams, 


GENERAL  PRACTICE  367 

and  I  started  in  on  new  lines,  such  as  at  first  did  not 
meet  the  approval  of  the  Commissioner  of  Indian 
Affairs. 

We  laid  our  plans,  nevertheless,  and  proceeded  to 
prepare  an  Act  for  the  Quapaw  Council  which  provided 
for  the  allotment  of  their  lands  in  severalty.  This  Act 
was  in  due  time  introduced  and  passed  by  the  Council 
and  a  certified  copy  thereof  filed  in  the  Indian  Office  at 
Washington. 

To  this  the  Commissioner  (Morgan)  objected,  and 
informed  us  that  the  Government  would  not  permit 
such  a  proceeding.  The  schemers  outside,  who  were 
lying  in  wait  for  the  lands,  also  objected,  and  some  of 
them  howled  and  gnashed  their  teeth  at  the  proposed 
high-handed  outrage. 

But,  all  the  same,  we  moved  right  along  in  the  even 
tenor  of  our  way,  and  the  lands  were  allotted  by  a 
Committee  appointed  by  the  Council,  and  each  mem- 
ber of  the  tribe  —  man,  woman,  and  child  —  received 
240  acres.  These  allotments  were  subsequently  rati- 
fied by  Congress,  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior 
was  directed  to  issue  patents  accordingly. 

Following  this,  we  secured  legislation  by  Congress, 
making  the  Quapaws  citizens  of  the  United  States  and 
authorizing  them  to  lease  their  lands  as  individuals  for 
agricultural  and  mining  purposes.  And  now  they  are 
a  happy,  contented,  prosperous  people,  notwithstand- 
ing the  impediments  that  have  been  thrown  in  their 
way  by  Government  officials. 

Had  the  Senecas  and  some  of  the  other  tribes  in 
the  Indian  Territory  made  their  own  allotments,  as  did 
the  Quapaws,  it  would  have  been  better  for  them  and 
less  expensive  for  the  Government. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

BACK  TO  THE  FARM FARMING  WITH  DYNAMITE 

"  Peace  hath  her  victories  no  less  renowned  than  war." 

OF  all  the  professions  and  peaceful  pursuits  of  life, 
the  farm  and  farming,  to  me,  stand  preeminently 
in  the  foreground.  I  was  born  and  reared  on  a  farm. 
I  loved  the  farm  and  everything  pertaining  thereto; 
the  old  hills  and  tall  trees ;  the  rich  valleys  and  swift- 
running  brooks ;  the  never-failing  springs  of  clear  cold 
water,  and  the  orchard  laden  with  delicious  fruit ;  the 
domestic  animals  grazing  in  the  pastures;  fowls  of 
the  farm  and  birds  of  the  forest;  the  fields  of  golden 
grain  and  meadows  of  new-born  hay;  the  country 
school  with  healthy,  rollicking  boys  and  girls ;  and  the 
neighborhood  of  contented,  honest,  industrious,  truth- 
ful people,  who  were  ever  ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand. 
All  seemed  good  to  me. 

In  the  midst  of  such  surroundings  I  passed  my  boy- 
hood days,  and  to  me  they  have  always  been  near  and 
dear.  Hence  my  desire  to  return  to  the  farm.  It  is 
the  place  for  the  poor  man  and  the  man  of  wealth. 
It  is  the  place  for  the  sick  man  and  the  man  of  health. 
It  is  the  ideal  place  to  live ;  the  place  to  raise  boys  and 
girls  and  train  them  to  meet  conditions  in  life. 

With  the  facilities  afforded  by  the  telephone  and 
the  rural  mail  carriers,  the  farm  is  not  now  so  far 
removed  from  the  attraction  of  gravitation  as  it  used 
to  be.  The  farm  is  not  only  more  healthful  and  better 
for  those  who  are  struggling  to  obtain  the  necessities 
of  life,  but  it  is  better  in  a  moral  way  for  all  concerned. 

The  tendency  to  evil-doing  in  the  cities,  as  every- 

368 


BACK  TO  THE  FARM  369 

body  knows,  is  increasing  at  a  rapid  rate.  If  present 
conditions  continue,  and  things  are  allowed  to  go  on 
as  they  are  now  going,  it  is  only  a  question  of  time 
when  truth,  integrity,  and  virtue  will  cease  to  be  car- 
dinal principles  upon  which  the  home,  society,  and  the 
State  must  stand,  if  they  are  to  stand. 

Already  we  have  macadamized  roads  leading  from 
the  altar  to  the  divorce  courts;  and  pretty  soon  the 
Legislature  may  be  asked  for  an  appropriation  to  make 
them  wider  and  provide  for  additional  courts  to  handle 
the  business.  A  marriage  contract,  when  properly  ex- 
ecuted, should  be  binding  as  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and 
Persians  are  said  to  have  been,  and  any  violation 
thereof  should  be  met  with  severe  punishment. 

On  the  farm,  as  a  general  rule,  neither  party  gives 
the  other  an  excuse  or  grounds  for  a  divorce.  When 
the  young  folks  get  married  they  settle  down  and  go 
hand  in  hand  through  life,  happy,  contented,  and  pros- 
perous. If  one  or  the  other  imagines  that  a  mistake 
has  been  made,  they  compare  notes;  and  finding  that 
their  shortcomings  average  up  about  even,  they  agree 
to  let  well-enough  alone,  and  that  ends  the  trouble. 
But  in  cities  such  cases  are  rare.  Ordinarily,  when  the 
country  people  get  married,  they  know  each  other  and 
understand  what  they  are  doing.  In  fact  the  weight 
of  every  argument  is  in  favor  of  the  farm  as  a  place 
to  live  and  train  children. 

Then  why  should  not  all  go  to  the  farm  who  can? 
There  industrious,  intelligent  people  may  live  in  com- 
fort and  provide  for  old  age,  rather  than  wear  them- 
selves out  in  the  city  by  daily  labor;  but  when  city 
folks  are  no  longer  able  to  work,  they  find  themselves 
at  the  mercy  of  cold  humanity.  Of  course,  people  on 
the  farm  have  to  work,  but  their  work  is  easy  as  com- 
pared with  the  ordinary  work  in  the  city.  Yes,  why 
not  go  back  to  the  farm  and  give  your  boys  and  girls 
an  even  chance  in  the  race  of  life. 

The  poorest  and  most  improvident  of  the  farmers 


370  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

live  better,  have  better  health,  see  less  trouble,  and 
are  happier  than  the  most  wealthy  of  the  millionaires 
in  this  or  any  other  country.  When  settled  down  to 
farming,  they  take  the  world  easy.  In  seed-time  and 
harvest  they  plough  and  plant  and  reap  and  sow,  but 
they  are  seldom  too  busy  to  stop  work  and  help  a 
neighbor  in  time  of  need. 

While  they  sleep,  their  crops  are  growing,  and 
their  horses,  mules,  cattle,  and  other  live  stock  are 
comfortably  housed  or  feeding  in  the  pastures; 
while  the  chickens  are  crowing  the  farmer  is  up 
and  doing.  When  winter  comes  he  repairs  his  fences, 
does  the  chores,  sits  by  a  good  fire,  reads,  and 
waits  for  the  coming  of  spring.  His  troubles  consist 
largely  in  having  to  pay  trust  prices  for  farm  imple- 
ments, lumber,  barbed  wire,  and  school  books.  But 
even  with  these  outrages  heaped  upon  him  by  reason 
of  an  unjust  tariff  and  unreasonable  taxes,  the  farmer 
is  happier  and  better  contented  than  any  of  the  people 
who  are  reaping  a  harvest  at  his  expense. 

My  farm  is  situated  on  both  sides  of  Spring  River, 
near  the  beautiful  town  of  Baxter  Springs  in  Cherokee 
County.  It  is  both  a  grain  and  stock  farm,  with  a  lake 
in  the  centre  fed  by  springs.  It  lies  midway  between 
the  rich  lead  and  zinc  mines  around  Galena  and  the 
Quapaw  mining  camp  in  Oklahoma,  six  miles  distant 
from  each,  and  seven  miles  east  of  the  model  farm  of  J. 
C.  Naylor,  who  prides  himself  on  having  the  best  farm 
in  Cherokee  County. 

He  has  a  good  farm,  but  Cherokee  is  a  large  county 
and  contains  many  fine  farms.  In  some  counties  the 
farm  of  Eugene  F.  Ware  would  be  considered  a  model 
(and  it  is  when  compared  to  that  of  Mr.  Naylor),  but 
neither  quite  reaches  the  standard  of  first-class  farms 
on  Spring  Eiver.  The  farm  of  Colonel  H.  H.  Gregg 
adjoins  mine  on  the  south,  and  we  are  willing  to  com- 
pete with  Mr.  Naylor  at  any  time  for  the  prize. 

But  while  Mr.  Naylor  and  the  farmers  of  Spring 


BACK  TO  THE  FARM  371 

River  Valley  may  indulge  themselves  in  a  spirit  of  riv- 
alry, I  fear  it  would  not  be  prudent  for  us  to  flaunt 
our  banners  in  the  face  of  young  farmers  in  the  State 
who  are  working  under  rules  and  regulations  pre- 
scribed by  the  Kansas  State  Agricultural  College,  an 
institution  of  which  all  Kansas  farmers  are  justly 
proud.  That  school  has  already  raised  the  standard  of 
scientific  farming  so  high  that  I  see  no  way  out  of  it 
but  for  Naylor,  Ware,  Gregg,  and  myself,  to  beat  our 
guns  into  ploughshares,  our  spears  into  hoes,  and  our 
swords  into  pruning-hooks,  and  buckle  down  to  the  soil 
as  in  the  days  of  our  youth. 

That  is  just  what  the  Palmetto  men  and  boys  of  the 
South  are  doing,  as  will  appear  from  the  following 
clipped  from  "  Collier's  Weekly  "  of  recent  date: 

Two  BLADES  OF  GRASS  WHERE  ONE  GREW  BEFORE 

Jerry  H.  Moore,  of  Florence  County,  South  Carolina,  is 
the  champion  corn  raiser  of  the  world;  at  least  he  is  the 
champion  among  boys  and,  so  far  as  we  know,  the  champion 
among  men  at  the  present  time.  Jerry  raised  two  hundred 
and  twenty-eight  bushels  and  three  pecks  on  a  single  acre 
last  Summer  —  that  is,  within  twenty-four  bushels  of  the 
world's  record,  which  was  made  twenty-two  years  ago. 
There  are  more  than  a  million  full-grown  men  farmers  in  the 
United  States  who  were  content,  when  they  gathered  their 
crop  last  October,  to  find  they  had  raised  forty  bushels  an 
acre,  one-fifth  of  Jerry's  crop.  There  is  a  hint  of  important 
changes  to  come,  in  the  fact  that  Jerry  lives  not  in  Iowa, 
nor  in  Illinois,  nor  in  any  other  part  of  what  is  commonly 
called  the  Corn  Belt,  but  in  South  Carolina,  within  seventy- 
five  miles  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  In  the  present  state  of  this 
nation  it  is  more  important  to  give  distinction  for  perform- 
ances like  Jerry  Moore's  than  for  proficiency  in  rhetoric; 
and  more  suitable  to  print  a  picture  of  him  than  of  the  man 
who  won  the  local  nomination  for  Congress.  President  W. 
W.  Finley  of  the  Southern  Railway  said  of  the  recent  South 
Atlantic  States  Corn  Exposition  that  '  It  marks  what  I  be- 
lieve to  be  the  most  important  development  in  Southern 
agriculture  since  the  invention  of  the  cotton-gin.'  Practical 


372  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

persons  who  want  to  learn  more  about  Jerry  Moore's  meth- 
ods of  cultivation  can  probably  find  out  by  writing  to  Mr. 
William  E.  Gonzales,  who  is  the  editor  of  The  State,  at 
Columbia,  South  Carolina,  and  is  an  enthusiast  on  his  State's 
progress  in  corn-raising. 

This  young  man,  doubtless,  is  the  grandson  of  one 
of  "Wade  Hampton 's  bold  riders  in  the  Civil  War ;  and 
whether  he  is  or  not,  he  has  demonstrated  to  the  world 
that  the  hoe  is  mightier  than  the  sword.  He  has  struck 
high-water  mark,  in  so  far  as  I  have  observed,  and  it 
now  remains  for  the  brave  boys  of  Kansas,  Iowa,  and 
Illinois  to  beat  it  if  they  can. 

FAKMING  WITH  DYNAMITE 

During  the  past  three  years  I  have  been  making  ex- 
periments with  the  view  of  pulverizing  the  subsoil  and 
utilizing  the  rainfall.  In  a  communication  to  "  The 
Kansas  Farmer  "  of  date  March  13,  1909,  I  explained 
my  theory  and  methods  as  follows : 

In  many  parts  of  the  West,  and  especially  in  South- 
eastern Kansas,  the  surface  soil  is  underlaid  with  a  stratum 
of  compact  subsoil  or  "  hard  pan,"  which  is  impervious  to 
water  and  impenetrable  to  the  roots  of  growing  grain, 
grasses,  alfalfa,  and  many  other  products  essential  to  the 
farm.  These  strata  of  so-called  "  hard  pan  "  vary  in  thick- 
ness and  depth ;  but,  however  thick  or  deep  they  may  lie  be- 
low the  surface  soil,  they  check  the  growth  of  the  cereals, 
grasses,  alfalfa,  sugarbeets,  fruit  trees,  and  other  things 
which  have  need  to  send  their  roots  downward  to  their  nat- 
ural depth  through  an  easily  penetrable  subsoil  that  receives 
the  surplus  rainfall  and  retains  moisture  during  the  season 
when  moisture  is  most  needed.  On  some  farms  which  I  have 
visited,  the  ' '  hard  pan  ' '  lies  within  six  inches  of  the  surface 
and  varies  in  thickness  from  six  inches  to  six  feet.  Gen- 
erally speaking,  it  is  impossible  for  such  land  to  produce 
more  than  a  half  crop,  whether  the  season  be  wet  or  dry.  On 
such  land,  the  roots  of  corn  and  other  things  will  go  down 
to  the  "  hard  pan,"  turn  off  at  right  angles,  and  draw  their 
nourishment  only  from  the  surface  soil.  That  soil  to  the 


BACK  TO  THE  FARM  373 

depth  of  the  plough,  an  average  of  six  inches,  is  speedily 
filled  with  water  when  the  rains  set  in,  while  the  surplus 
rainfall,  from  three  to  four  feet  annually,  rolls  off  to  the 
ravines  and  is  lost  to  agriculture,  when  it  could  be  easily 
stored  in  sub-reservoirs  for  use  when  needed  by  breaking  the 
"  hard  pan  "  with  powder  and  allowing  the  water  to  pass 
through  or  into  such  reservoirs. 

Last  summer  I  tried  the  experiment  of  breaking  the ' '  hard 
pan  "  on  my  farm  in  Cherokee  County,  preparatory  to 
sowing  the  same  in  alfalfa.  I  used  an  ordinary  two-inch 
auger,  remodelled  by  a  blacksmith,  with  a  steel  handle  added, 
suitable  for  the  purpose.  We  bored  holes  in  the  ground  from 
two  to  six  feet  deep,  and  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  apart, 
according  to  the  nature  and  compactness  of  the  subsoil  and 
' '  hard  pan. ' '  We  used  one  stick  of  ordinary  blasting-powder 
in  each  hole,  which  would  create  an  opening  to  the  surface 
of  from  eight  to  ten  inches  in  diameter,  break  the  ground  all 
around  for  a  distance  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet,  and  at  the 
same  time  establish  a  sub-reservoir  below  the  bottom  of  the 
bored  hole  from  three  to  six  feet  in  diameter,  with  the  ' '  hard 
pan  "  all  around  shivered  into  fragments.  Blasting  powder 
of  average  strength,  such  as  I  used,  breaks  downward  with 
greater  force  than  otherwise.  The  holes  and  openings  so 
created  should  be  filled  or  partially  filled  with  sand  or  gravel, 
so  as  to  keep  them  open  permanently  as  a  passage  way  for 
the  surplus  rainfall.  The  water  thus  conveyed  into  sub- 
reservoirs,  whether  it  remains  therein  any  length  of  time  or 
distributes  itself  through  subsoil,  will  linger  and  leave  mois- 
ture sufficient  to  supply  the  roots  of  everything  that  grows 
in  the  ground.  Heretofore,  instead  of  thus  storing  the  sur- 
plus water  for  use  when  most  needed,  which  nature  always 
brings  in  abundance,  it  has  been  allowed  to  go  to  waste,  and 
the  farmers  suffer  the  consequences  when  the  dry  weather 
sets  in. 

My  experience  is  that  Nature  always  does  the  right 
thing  at  the  right  time.  She  supplies  us  liberally  with 
everything  essential  and  if  we  neglect  or  fail  to  avail  our- 
selves of  her  bountiful  gifts,  we  have  only  ourselves  to  blame. 
Sometimes  we  think  the  rainfall  at  certain  seasons  is  too 
much,  and  at  others,  not  enough,  but  the  plan  suggested  will, 
in  my  opinion,  remedy  both  these  supposed  evils.  The  bulk 
of  the  surplus  rainfall,  whether  thirty  or  forty  inches  each 


374  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

year  will  readily  be  absorbed  by  the  broken  ground  and 
shattered  "  hard  pan  "  underneath  the  surface  soil,  and  in 
consequence  thereof,  a  sufficient  amount  of  moisture  will  be 
retained  in  the  ground,  not  only  to  supply  the  growing 
crops  but  also  to  keep  other  fields  in  good  condition  for  fall 
ploughing. 

Nor  are  these  the  only  benefits  to  be  derived.  When 
the  spring  rains  come,  the  water  often  stands  in  fields  until 
it  is  too  late  to  plant,  or  if  the  planting  season  is  past,  then 
until  the  growing  crops  are  drowned  out.  If  that  surplus 
water,  when  it  falls,  could  pass  through  into  loose  ground  and 
sub-reservoirs,  all  such  trouble  and  damage  would  be 
avoided. 

But  to  break  and  utilize  the  "  hard  pan  "  that  lies  in 
strata  under  many  farms,  and  control  and  utilize  thirty-six 
inches  of  water  that  is  handed  down  to  us,  sometimes  in 
torrents,  is  no  light  task.  It  is  not  so  costly,  from  a  money 
point  of  view,  but  it  takes  labor,  patience,  and  perserverance. 
In  so  far  as  the  money  is  concerned,  it  will  take  eighty 
sticks  of  powder  per  acre,  which,  with  caps  and  fuse  at 
wholesale  price,  are  worth  about  $1.50,  everything  else  es- 
sential (except  the  two-inch  auger,  worth  50  cents)  comes 
under  the  head  of  labor,  which  any  farmer  can  do  at  his 
leisure  in  dry  weather.  The  increased  yield  of  corn  or 
wheat  per  acre  in  one  season  will  richly  pay  for  shooting  the 
ground;  and  as  for  alfalfa  and  sugar  beets,  it  is  indis- 
pensable, where  the  ground  is  underlaid  with  "  hard  pan." 
At  least  that  is  my  experience  in  Spring  River  Valley. 

Last  summer  I  dynamited  eight  acres  and  seeded  the 
same  in  alfalfa.  The  ground  was  level;  and  when  the  fall 
rains  came,  the  water  which  formerly  stood  for  days  on  the 
ground,  was  immediately  absorbed,  leaving  the  alfalfa  dry 
and  apparently  in  good  condition. 

That  this  is  the  proper  method  of  treating  compact 
subsoil  and  "  hard  pan,"  has  been  demonstrated  to  my 
entire  satisfaction.  It  is  already  being  tried  by  others, 
and  will  eventually  be  the  means  of  reclaiming  mil- 
lions of  acres,  now  unproductive.  Besides,  it  is  the 
proper  way  to  drain  wet  and  swampy  lands  and  also  to 
prepare  the  ground  for  the  planting  of  trees  and 
shrubbery. 


BACK  TO  THE  FARM  375 

With  this  and  other  scientific  experiments  now  be- 
ing prosecuted  under  the  direction  of  our  State  Agri- 
cultural College,  the  Kansas  boys  will  perhaps  be  able 
to  hold  their  own  with  the  youth  of  South  Carolina 
and  other  corn-producing  States  of  the  Union. 

Especially  would  this  be  true  if  the  authorities 
should  close  our  manual  training  schools  in  the  cities, 
cut  out  the  summer  excursions,  put  the  base-ball  in  cold 
storage,  let  up  on  picture  shows,  and  go  to  the  garden 
and  the  field  for  muscular  training  and  picturesque 
scenery.  Then  we  should,  ere  long,  have  an  average  of 
better  men,  mentally,  morally,  and  physically,  and  not 
so  many  tramps,  beggars,  thieves,  safe-blowers,  and 
train-robbers.  The  cities  are  becoming  hot-beds  for 
the  breeding  of  criminals,  and  many  of  the  young  folks 
are  well  on  their  way  to  ruin  before  their  parents  are 
aware  of  the  fact. 

In  a  lecture  recently  delivered  by  Judge  Estelle  of 
the  Juvenile  Court  of  Omaha,  in  the  First  Methodist 
Church  of  Topeka,  he  said : 

If  there  is  a  boy  or  girl  in  Topeka  who  becomes  a  criminal, 
you  parents  of  that  child  are  responsible  before  God  and  man 
for  letting  that  boy  or  girl  get  into  that  path  of  life. 
Criminals  are  made  by  society,  and  not  of  their  own  accord. 
Because  the  man  or  woman  is  in  the  best  of  society,  of  the 
best  people  of  the  town,  does  not  make  him  any  better  than 
any  other  person. 

I  do  not  believe  in  sending  boys  to  the  reform  schools, 
as  in  most  of  cases  it  does  more  harm  than  it  does  good. 
The  place  for  boys  who  need  attention  is  the  home,  not  the 
reform  school.  The  reform  schools  are  a  half-way  station 
for  the  boys.  I  think  that  we  ought  to  have  a  large  home 
to  which  we  can  send  these  boys,  and  in  a  short  time  they 
would  be  entirely  different  human  beings.  In  the  year  1886 
I  well  remember  sentencing  seven  boys  to  the  reform  school, 
and  in  the  year  1891,  I  remember  sending  six  of  that  seven 
to  the  State  penitentiary  for  several  years'  sentence. 

I  have  never  yet  sentenced  a  man  for  a  one-year  term 
in  the  penitentiary  that  I  did  not  feel  that  he  would  stay; 


376  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

there  longer  than  that  or  may  be  for  life.  The  best  way  on 
earth  to  spoil  a  boy  or  girl  is  to  turn  them  loose  on  the 
streets  and  let  them  do  as  they  please. 

The  vulgar  and  immoral  plays  of  to-day  have  more  to  do 
with  the  downfall  of  the  young  life  of  the  city  than  any  one 
thing  of  the  time.  I  have  seen  more  young  people  spoiled 
by  the  imprint  of  a  play  than  any  one  thing  which  I  can 
now  recall. 

In  the  country  after  a  hard  day's  work,  the  boy  or 
young  man  is  ready  for  rest  and  sleep.  He  does  not 
stroll  off  down  town  in  search  of  amusement.  When 
awake,  his  mind  is  employed  on  matters  of  importance. 

Kansas  is,  first  of  all,  an  agricultural  and  stock- 
growing  State.  It  also  produces  a  fine  quality  and 
variety  of  fruit,  and  contains  rich  deposits  of  lead, 
zinc,  coal,  oil,  and  gas.  The  soil  is  rich,  and  the  climate 
is  unexcelled ;  and  when  the  surplus  population  in  our 
overcrowded  towns  and  cities  go  back  to  the  farm  and 
become  producers,  instead  of  drones  and  idle  con- 
sumers, we  shall  have  a  State  that  will  be  the  pride  and 
admiration  of  all  its  citizens. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

CONCLUSION 

IN  reviewing  the  record  of  the  past  fifty-two  years, 
I  have  endeavored  to  be  accurate  and  make  plain 
the  important  events  and  incidents  as  they  occurred 
during  that  stormy  period. 

The  Act  of  Congress  creating  the  Territory  of  Kan- 
sas, was  approved  on  May  30,  1854,  and  from  that  day 
the  real  struggle  for  the  life  or  death  of  human  slavery 
in  this  country  began.  The  Proslavery  statesmen  of 
the  South,  having  already  advanced  on  Washington 
and  captured  the  Executive  and  Judicial  Departments 
of  the  Government,  proceeded  to  enforce  slavery  in 
Kansas,  and  tried  to  protect  it  with  a  shotgun  brigade 
from  Missouri.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  Civil 
War,  which  ended  at  Appomattox.  The  shotgun  brig- 
ade was,  ere  long,  driven  back  to  Missouri,  where  they 
struggled  heroically  with  "  John  Barleycorn  "  until 
called  into  active  service  by  Governor  Jackson  and 
General  Price,  and  started  on  a  run  from  Boonville 
to  the  happy  hunting-grounds. 

To  give  a  detailed  account  of  all  the  atrocities  com- 
mitted by  them  in  Missouri  and  Kansas  would  require 
many  volumes.  In  fact  it  is  best  to  let  the  darkest 
of  their  many  crimes  rest  beside  them  in  graves  of 
oblivion,  where  most  of  them  are  now  sleeping.  When 
they  started  out  on  their  perilous  journey,  they  knew 
not  where  they  were  going.  They  were  simply  rounded 
up  by  shrewd  politicians  and  driven  like  dumb  cattle 
to  the  slaughter  pen.  But  it  was  a  lesson  to  them  and 
a  warning  to  future  generations.  That  the  result  of 
the  war  was  a  blessing  to  the  people  of  the  South  goes 
without  saying. 

377 


378  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

The  institution  of  slavery,  which  oppressed  the  peo- 
ple and  wasted  their  opportunities  for  a  century,  no 
longer  stands  in  their  way.  They  are  now  disen- 
thralled and  rapidly  adapting  themselves  to  the  new 
order  of  things ;  and  ere  long  will  lead  the  world  in  the 
production  of  many  of  the  necessaries  of  life.  They 
have  the  climate,  the  soil,  the  water,  the  timber,  the 
mineral,  the  labor,  and  all  things  essential  to  success. 

The  most  serious  question  that  confronts  them,  and 
the  whole  American  people  at  the  present  time,  is  a 
lack  of  confidence  in  each  other  and  in  the  integrity 
of  business  industries.  Of  course,  the  Government  at 
Washington  comes  in  for  a  share  of  criticism,  and, 
sometimes  deservedly  so;  but  a  want  of  confidence 
among  the  people  themselves  is  the  real  danger  that  is 
now  staring  them  in  the  face. 

The  corporations,  trusts,  and  individuals  who  think 
they  are  fooling  all  the  people  all  the  time,  are  simply 
fooling  themselves.  They  may  ply  their  games  and 
run  with  loosened  rein  for  a  while,  but  it  is  only  a 
question  of  time  when  they  will  be  rounded  up  and 
placed  where  they  belong.  Legions  of  such  pirates 
are  abroad  in  the  land,  seeking  whom  they  may  de- 
vour, and  the  sooner  they  call  a  halt  and  retrace  their 
footsteps,  the  better  it  will  be  for  them. 

The  high-handed,  criminal  outrages  committed 
daily,  openly,  and  notoriously  in  violation  of  the  law 
by  chartered  companies,  corporations,  trusts,  com- 
bines, bank  and  train  robbers,  officials,  and  Legislative 
fixers,  are  bearing  heavily  upon  the  people  en- 
gaged in  busines  conducted  on  legitimate  lines.  They 
have  already  crushed  many  and  driven  others  to  the 
wall.  They  have  demoralized  legislatures,  debauched 
legislation,  ignored  the  law,  and  defied  the  authorities. 
If  this  is  not  treason,  plain  and  flagrant,  then,  pray 
tell  us  what  it  is? 

Any  person  who  reads  the  history  of  the  past;  the 
rise,  progress,  and  downfall  of  other  Republics,  will 


CONCLUSION  379 

not  fail  to  see  the  dangers  that  now  confront  the  Gov- 
ernment and  people  of  the  United  States.  That  this 
Government  has  cut  loose  from  a  safe  harbor  and  is 
sailing  recklessly  in  the  wake  of  nations  that  have  gone 
down  under  the  weight  of  their  own  folly,  is  as  clear 
as  the  noonday  sun.  Anybody,  whether  or  not  he  can 
read,  ought  to  be  able  to  see  the  whirlpool  into  which 
we  are  drifting. 

I  may  be  unnecessarily  alarmed  over  the  dangers 
that  threaten  from  within  and  without;  and  I  hope  I 
am.  But  judging  from  the  temperament  and  char- 
acteristics of  the  American  people,  and  knowing  some- 
thing of  the  history  of  other  republics,  I  fear  the  worst. 
Somehow  I  feel  that  a  storm  is  gathering,  and  that  it 
is  time  to  reef  our  sails  and  pull  for  the  shore.  The 
purple  clouds  all  around  seem  angry  and  ominous. 

The  people  at  home  and  abroad  are  in  a  state  of  un- 
rest. Nations  are  building  Dreadnoughts  and  frown- 
ing at  one  another,  and  seeking  to  become  world 
powers.  Grafters,  trusts,  and  the  hog  combine,  screen- 
ing themselves  behind  special  protective  privileges 
granted  by  Congress,  have  destroyed  competition  in 
trade  at  home,  and  are  rapidly  absorbing  the  net  earn- 
ings of  every  legitimate  business  and  industry  within 
the  range  of  possibility. 

Fakers,  free-booters,  bank  robbers,  and  highway- 
men, are  plying  their  vocation,  seemingly  without  fear, 
favor,  or  affection.  The  right  of  suffrage  vouchsafed 
to  the  American  voters,  as  the  foundation  upon  which 
our  Government  stands,  has  become  an  article  of  com- 
modity in  many  localities,  and  is  bartered  away  with  a 
flippancy  that  seldom  attracts  attention.  Members  of 
the  Legislatures  of  a  number  of  the  States  of  this 
Union  have  been  known  to  sell  their  votes  to  be  used 
in  the  election  of  United  States  Senators,  and  then 
go  before  the  courts  and  with  brazen,  impudence  ac- 
knowledge their  crimes. 

In  the  face  of  all  these  things  and  other  political 


380  KANSAS  IN  THE   SIXTIES 

and  official  crimes  and  misdemeanors  that  might  be 
mentioned,  how  long,  may  I  ask,  can  this  Government 
stand  up  and  look  honest  people  in  the  face?  Well 
hath  the  poet  said: 

Hide,  hide,  my  country,  thy  diminished  head! 

But  our  Government  and  people  are  not  alone  in 
their  political  debauchery.  All  nations  at  times  lose 
their  bearings  and  stray  off  after  strange  gods. 
Greece,  Rome,  and  many  other  countries  of  the  East, 
wandered  away  from  their  moorings  so  far  that  they 
never  were  able  to  get  back ;  while  Spain,  after  playing 
the  colonial  empire  business  for  several  centuries, 
finally  found  herself  stranded  in  the  Philippines  and 
was  sent  home  in  rags. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  our  Government,  while  yet  in 
the  bloom  of  youth,  will  square  its  action  by  the  rule 
of  right  and  prove  to  the  world  what  a  republic  can  do. 


APPENDIX* 

TERRITORY   AND  STATE   OF  KANSAS 

Area,  80,891  square  miles,  or,  51,776^40  acres 

A  BILL  (H.  R.  236)  "  to  organize  the  Territories  of  Ne- 
braska and  Kansas, ' '  was,  on  the  thirty-first  of  January, 
1854,  reported  in  the  House  of  Representatives  by  the  Hon. 
Win.  A.  Richardson  from  Committee  on  Territories;  passed 
that  House  May  22;  passed  the  Senate  May  25;  and  became 
a  law  May  30,  1854.  A  Constitution  was  adopted  by  a  con- 
vention at  Topeka,  October  23  to  November  2,  1855.  It  was 
affirmed  that  the  Bill  was  submitted  to  the  people  of  the 
Territory,  and  ratified  December  15,  1855,  by  a  vote  of 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-one  for,  to  46 
against  it. 

A  bill  (S.  172)  "  to  authorize  the  people  of  the  Territory 
of  Kansas  to  form  a  Constitution  and  State  Government,  pre- 
paratory to  their  admission  into  the  Union,  whenever  they 
have  the  requisite  population  "  was  reported  in  the  Senate 
by  the  Hon.  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  from  Committee  on  Ter- 
ritories, March  17,  1856,  and  recommitted  June  25,  1856. 

On  the  seventh  of  April,  1856,  a  Memorial  of  certain 
individuals,  representing  themselves  as  Senators  and  Rep- 
resentatives in  the  General  Assembly  of  the  "  State  of  Kan- 
sas," praying  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the  Union  as  a 
State  upon  an  equal  footing  with  the  other  States,  was  pre- 
sented in  the  Senate  by  the  Hon.  Lewis  Cass,  and  referred  to 
the  Committee  on  Territories. 

A  bill  (H.  R.  411)  "  authorizing  the  people  of  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Kansas  to  form  a  Constitution  and  State  Govern- 
ment, preparatory  to  their  admission  into  the  Union  on  an 
equal  footing  with  the  original  States,"  was  reported  from 
the  Committee  on  Territories,  House  of  Representatives,  by 
the  Hon.  Galusha  A.  Grow,  May  29,  1856,  and  passed  that 
House  July  3,  1856.  In  Senate  referred  July  7;  reported 

*  The  matter  classified  in  this  Appendix  is  not  included  in  the 
Index. 

881 


382  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

with  amendment  July  8 ;  amended  and  passed  Senate  July  8, 
1856,  under  same  title  as  the  preceding  Bill  (S.  356).  The 
House  of  Representatives  took  no  action  on  the  amended  Bill 
and  it  therefore  failed  to  become  a  law. 

A  Bill  (S  343)  "  supplementary  to  an  Act  to  organize 
the  Territories  of  Nebraska  and  Kansas  "  was  introduced  on 
leave  in  the  Senate,  by  the  Hon.  John  M.  Clayton,  June  16, 
1856,  and  referred  to  Committee  on  Territories,  June  24, 
1856. 

A  Bill  (S.  351)  "  supplementary  to  an  Act  to  organize 
the  Territories  of  Nebraska  and  Kansas,  and  to  provide  for 
the  faithful  execution  of  said  Act  in  the  Territory  of  Kansas 
according  to  the  true  intent  and  meaning  thereof,  "  was  in- 
troduced on  leave  in  the  Senate,  by  the  Hon.  Henry  S. 
Geyer,  June  24,  1856,  and  referred  to  Committee  on  Ter- 
ritories on  same  day. 

A  Bill  (S.  256)  "  to  authorize  the  people  of  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Kansas  to  form  a  Constitution  and  State  Govern- 
ment, preparatory  to  their  admission  into  the  Union  on  an 
equal  footing  with  the  original  States,"  was  reported  to  the 
Senate  from  Committee  on  Territories,  by  the  Hon.  Stephen 
A.  Douglas,  June  30,  1856,  and  passed  the  Senate  July  2, 
1856.  Not  acted  upon  by  the  House  of  Representatives. 

A  Bill  (H.  R.  75)  "to  organize  the  Territory  of  Kan- 
sas, and  for  other  purposes,"  was  passed  by  the  House  of 
Representatives  July  29,  and  laid  upon  the  table  in  the 
Senate,  August  11,  1856. 

A  Bill  (S.  464)  "  amendatory  of  an  Act  passed  May  30, 
1854,  entitled  "  An  Act  to  organize  the  Territories  of  Ne- 
braska and  Kansas,"  was,  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  August, 
1856,  introduced  on  leave  in  the  Senate,  by  the  Hon.  John  B. 
Welle,  and  on  the  twenty-seventh  of  August,  1856,  ordered 
to  lie  on  the  table. 

A  Bill  (S.  466)  "  to  alter  and  amend  the  Act  of  Con- 
gress entitled  "  An  Act  to  organize  the  Territories  of  Ne- 
braska and  Kansas,"  was  introduced  on  leave  in  the  Senate, 
by  the  Hon.  John  J.  Crittenden,  August  28,  1856,  and  or- 
dered to  lie  on  the  table,  August  30,  1856. 

A  Bill  (S.  476)  "  amendatory  of  an  Act  passed  May  30, 
1854,  entitled,  "  An  Act  to  organize  the  Territories  of  Ne- 
braska and  Kansas, ' '  was,  on  the  sixteenth  of  December,  1856, 
introduced  on  leave  in  the  Senate,  by  the  Hon.  Henry  Wil- 


APPENDIX  383 

son,  and  passed  the  Senate,  January  21,  1857.     Not  acted 
upon  by  the  House  of  Representatives. 

THE  LECOMPTON   CONSTITUTION 

A  convention  met  at  Lecompton,  September  5,  1857, 
took  a  recess  for  a  month,  and  finished  a  Constitution,  No- 
vember 7,  1857.  It  was  at  once  sent  to  the  President.  The 
clause  sanctioning  slavery  was  submitted  to  the  people,  and 
ratified,  December  31,  1857,  by  a  vote  of  6,226  to  598  votes 
against  it.  The  entire  Constitution  was  submitted  to  the 
people,  and  its  friends  and  opponents  both  claimed  a  ma- 
jority. It  was  claimed  that  on  the  twenty-first  of  Decem- 
ber, 1858,  the  Constitution,  with  slavery,  was  ratified  by 
6,143,  against  589  received  by  the  Constitution  without  slav- 
ery. It  was  also  said  that  on  the  seventh  of  January,  1859, 
the  Constitution  was  rejected,  there  being  138  votes  for  it 
with  slavery,  24  for  it  without  slavery,  and  10,126  votes 
against  it. 

A  Bill  (H.  R.  7)  "to  authorize  the  people  of  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Kansas  to  form  a  Constitution  and  State  govern- 
ment, preparatory  to  their  admission  into  the  Union  with  all 
the  rights  of  the  original  States,"  was  introduced  on  leave 
in  the  House  of  Representatives  by  the  Hon.  Nathaniel  P. 
Banks,  December  18,  1857,  and  referred  to  Committee  on 
Territories.  Not  further  acted  upon. 

A  Bill  (S.  15)  "  to  authorize  the  people  of  the  Territory 
of  Kansas  to  form  a  Constitution  and  State  Government, 
preparatory  to  their  admission  into  the  Union  on  an  equal 
footing  with  the  original  States,"  was  introduced  on  leave 
in  the  Senate,  by  the  Hon.  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  December 
18,  1857,  and  referred  to  Committee  on  Territories.  No 
further  action  was  taken. 

A  Bill  (S.  37)  "to  provide  for  the  admission  of  Kansas 
into  the  Union,"  was  introduced  on  leave  in  the  Senate,  by 
the  Hon.  George  E.  Pugh,  January  4,  1858,  and  referred  to 
Committee  on  Territories.  Not  further  acted  upon. 

On  the  first  of  February,  1858,  a  preamble  and  joint  res- 
olution of  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  the  Territory  of  Kan- 
sas "  in  relation  to  the  Constitution  framed  at  Lecompton, 
Kansas  Territory,  on  the  seventh  of  November,  1857,"  and 
concurrent  resolutions  "reaffirming  the  Topeka  Constitution 
of  October  23,  1855,"  were  presented  in  the  House  of  Rep- 


384  KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 

resentatives  by  the  Hon.  Marcus  J.  Parrot,  and  were  laid  on 
the  table  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 

THE  MINEOLA  AND  LEAVENWORTH  CONSTITUTION 

A  constitution  was  adopted  by  a  convention  which  met 
at  Mineola,  March  23,  1858,  and  adjourned  to  Leavenworth, 
March  25,  1858,  and  finished  its  work  April  3,  1859.  It  was 
averred  that  the  Constitution  was  submitted  to  the  poeple 
the  third  Tuesday  in  May,  1858,  and  ratified  by  a  vote  of 
4,346  for  it,  to  1,257  against  it. 

A  Bill  (S.  161)  "  for  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the 
Union  "  was  reported  from  Committee  on  Territories,  Sen- 
ate, by  the  Hon.  James  S.  Green,  February  18,  1858 ;  passed 
the  Senate,  March  23,  passed  the  House  of  Representatives 
with  an  amendment  April  1,  1858.  On  April  2,  said  amend- 
ment was  disagreed  to  by  the  Senate,  and  a  conference  com- 
mittee was  appointed.  The  report  of  the  conference  commit- 
tee was  agreed  to  by  both  Houses,  April  30,  and  the  bill  be- 
came a  law,  May  4,  1858.  By  this  Act,  the  ordinance  — 
adopted  on  the  seventh  day  of  November,  1857,  by  a  conven- 
tion assembled  at  Lecompton  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a 
Constitution  and  State  Government  > — which  asserted  the 
rights  of  Kansas,  when  admitted  into  the  Union,  to  tax  the 
lands  within  her  borders  belong  to  the  United  States,  but  pro- 
posed to  relinquish  such  right  on  certain  conditions,  was  de- 
clared to  be  unacceptable  to  Congress ;  and  certain  changes  in 
said  ordinance  was  submitted  for  acceptance  or  rejection  by 
the  people  of  Kansas. 

A  Bill  (S.  194)  "  for  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the 
Union  "  was  introduced  on  leave  in  the  Senate  by  Hon. 
William  H.  Seward,  and  referred  to  Committee  on  Ter- 
ritories. Not  reported  on. 

THE  WYANDOTTE   CONSTITUTION 

This  Constitution,  under  which  the  State  was  admitted 
(after  some  amendments),  was  adopted  by  a  convention 
which  met  at  Wyandotte,  July  5-29,  1859.  October  4,  1859,  it 
was  ratified  by  the  people  by  a  vote  of  19,421  for,  to  5,530 
against. 

ADMISSION    OF   THE    STATE    OF   KANSAS 

A  bill  (H.  R.  23)  "  for  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the 
Union  ' '  was  introduced  on  leave  in  the  House  of  Representa- 


APPENDIX  385 

tives,  by  the  Hon.  Galusha  A.  Grow,  February  15,  1860; 
passed  that  House,  April  11,  1860;  and  passed  the  Senate, 
January  21,  1861,  with  an  amendment,  to  which  the  House 
of  Representatives  agreed,  January  28,  1861.  This  Act  de- 
clared the  State  of  Kansas  admitted  into  the  Union  on  an 
equal  footing  with  the  original  States,  a  Constitution  and 
State  Government  republican  in  form,  which  was  formed  by 
the  convention  which  assembled  for  that  purpose  at  Wyan- 
dotte  on  July  29,  1859,  having  been  duly  ratified  by  the 
people  of  said  State.  The  Bill  became  a  law,  January  29, 
1861. 

POPULATION 

1860 107,206 

1870        .        .        .        .        .        .  364,399 

1880 996,096 

1890 1,423,485 

1900 1,444,708 

1910 1,690,949 

This  shows  to  some  extent,  the  political  battle  that  was 
fought  to  a  finish  by  the  Free-State  and  the  Proslavery  men 
in  Congress  over  the  admission  of  Kansas  into  the  Union. 
For  six  years  the  Proslavery  advocates  blustered  and  fili- 
bustered, shrieked,  howled,  and  hurled  threats  of  secession  in 
double  doses  at  the  Free-State  men.  For  six  years  the  Free- 
State  men  moved  forward  with  a  steady  step,  until  their  ad- 
versaries withdrew,  and  Kansas  was  admitted  as  a  Free 
State. 

MEMBERS  OF  KANSAS  STATE  GOVERNMENT,  1861 

EXECUTIVE 

Charles  Robinson,  Governor. 

J.   P.   Root,  Lieutenant-Governor. 

John  W.  Robinson,  Secretary  of  State. 

Wm.  Tholen,  Treasurer  of  State. 

Geo.  S.  Hillyer,  Auditor  of  State. 

Wm.  R.  Griffith,  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 

Benjamin  F.  Simpson,  Attorney-General. 

JUDICIAL 

Thomas  Ewing,  Jr.,  Chief  Justice. 
Samuel  A.  Kingman,  Associate  Justice. 
Lawrence  D.  Bailey,  Associate  Justice. 


386 


KANSAS  IN   THE   SIXTIES 


CONGRESSMAN 

Martin  F.  Conway,  Member  of  Congress. 


LEGISLATIVE  MEMBERS  AND  OFFICERS  OF  THE  SENATE 


NAME 

J.  P.  Root,  President 

E.  P.  Bancroft        . 

J.  F.  Broadhead      . 

J.  C.  Burnett  .        .        .        .        . 

J.  Connell 

H.  B.  Denman 

H.  R.  Button 

P.  P.  Elder 

H.  W.  Farnsworth    .... 

G.  B.  Gunn 

S.  E.  Hoffman 

S.  D.  Houston  .        .        . 

J.  M.  Hubbard 

S.  Lappin        .        . 

J.  Lockhart 

E.  Lynde  . 

J.  A.  Martin 

J.  H.  McDowell      . 

Josiah  Miller    . 

R.   Morrow      .        .        .        . 

T.  A.  Osborn    ..... 

J.  A.  Phillips  .        . 

H.  N.  Seaver    .        .        . 

H.  S.  Sleeper  ..... 

W.    Spriggs     .        .        .        . 

J.  J.  Ingalls,  Secretary    . 

J.  Stotler,  Assistant  Secretary 

J.  R.  Lambdin,  Journal  Clerk  . 

D.  Wilson,  Docket  Clerk  . 

A.  W.  Pickering,  Engrossing  Clerk 

T.  S.  Wright,  Sergeant-at-Arms 

H.  M.  Robinson,  Doorkeeper    . 

F.  R.  Davis,  Messenger    . 


COUNTY 
Wyandotte 
Breckinridge   (Lyon) 
Linn 
Bourbon 
Leavenwortb. 
Leavenworth 
Brown 
Franklin 
Shawnee 
Wyandotte 
Woodson 
Riley 

Wabaunsee 
Nemaha 
Johnson 
Jefferson 
Atchison 
Leavenworth 
Douglas 
Douglas 
Doniphan 
Lykins,  (Miami) 
Doniphan 

Breckinridge   ( Lyon ) 
Anderson 
Atchison 

Breckinridge   (Lyon) 
Butler 
Riley 
Woodson 
Nemaha 
Brown 
Douglas 


APPENDIX 


387 


MEMBERS    AND    OFFICERS    OF    THE    HOUSE 


NAME 

W.  "W.  Updegraff,  Speaker 

W.  F.  M.  Amy 

J.  B.  Abbott    . 

P.  M.  Alexander     . 

A.  Allen  .... 

D.   C.   Auld     . 

D.  E.  Ballard  . 

0.  Barber 

J.  C.  Bartlett  . 

J.  J.  Bentz 

W.  D.  Blackford      . 

F.  N.  Blake     . 
N.  B.  Blanton 
W.  E.  Bowker 

E.  J.  Brown 
H.  Buckmaster 

T.  Butcher       .        . 
J.  M.  Calvert   . 
S.  R.  Caniff     . 
A.  J.  Chipman 
R.  W.  Cloud    . 

G.  A.  Colton    . 
J.  E.  Corliss    . 
J.  D.  Crafton    . 
S.  J.  Crawford 

H.  W.  Curtiss  .        . 
G.  A.  Cutler    . 
W.  R.  Davis    . 
A.  Ellis 

1.  E.  Eaton     . 
A.   Elliott 

F.  W.  Emery    .        . 
W.  P.  Gambell . 

W.  H.  Grimes  . 

A.  Gray  .... 

A.  K.  Hawkes  . 

J.  E.  Hayes 

H.  H.  Heberling.    . 

T.  P.  Herrick    . 

E.  Hoheneck 


COUNTY 

Lykins   (Miami) 
Anderson 
Douglas 
Douglas 
Wabaunsee 
Marshall 
Washington 
Douglas 
Shawnee 
Leavenworth 
Douglas 
Davis    (Geary) 
Allen 
Shawnee 
Coffey 
Jefferson 
Atchison 
Leavenworth 
Osage 
Morris 

Breckinridge   (Lyon) 
Lykins    (Miami) 
Johnson 
Leavenworth 
Anderson 
Shawnee 
Coffey 
Douglas 

Lykins   (Miami) 
Leavenworth 
Atchison 
Doniphan 
Leavenworth 
Atchison 
Wyandotte 
Breckinridge    (Lyon) 
Johnson 


Doniphan 
Wabaunsee 


888 


KANSAS  IN  THE   SIXTIES 


N.  Humber      .        .        . 

J.  H.  Jones     .... 

W.  C.  Kimber  .... 

C.  B.  Keith      .        . 

H.  Knowles 

J.  Kunkel         .... 

W.  W.  H.  Lawrence 

J.  F.  Legate    .... 

E.  P.  Lewis     .... 

E.  J.  Lines     .... 

A.  Low 

J.  McGrew  .... 
S.  B.  Mahurin  .... 
J.  A.  Marcell  .... 
J.  E.  Moore  .... 
P.  G.  D.  Morton  . 
A.  U.  Mussey  .... 
J.  T.  Neal  .... 
T.  Pierce  .  .  .  .  . 
J.  S.  Rackliff  .... 

A.  Ray 

G.  H.  Rees      .... 
W.  R.  Saunders    . 

J.  W.  Scott 

0.  H.   Sheldon       . 

J.  H.  Smith 

L.  T.  Smith 

W.   H.   Smyth       . 

C.  Starns       .        .        .        . 

A.  Stark        

J.  W.  Stewart       .... 
E.  D.  Thompson    . 

B.  Wheat 

R.  P.  C.  Wilson    ... 

L.  Woodard 

D.  B.  Emmert,  Chief  Clerk  . 

A.  R.  Banks,  Ass't.  Chief  Clerk    . 
Arthur  Gunther,  Journal  Clerk    . 
J.  K.  Rankin,  Ass't.  Journal  Clk.  . 
T.  Hopkins,  Docket  Clerk    . 

D.  M.  Adams,  Engrossing  Clerk    . 

B.  P.  Noteman,  Enrolling  Clerk    . 


Leavenworth 

Linn 

Doniphan 

Atchison 

Bourbon 

Douglas 

Franklin 

Johnson 

Atchison 

Wabaunsee 

Doniphan 

Wyandotte 

Bourbon 

Franklin 

Shawnee 

Butler 

Pottawatomie 

Bourbon 

Riley 

Platte  (Godfrey) 

Jackson 

Breckinridge   (Lyon^ 

Coffey 

Allen 

Osage 

Brown 

Leavenworth 

Riley 

Leavenworth 

Linn 

Douglas 

Douglas 

Coffey 

Leavenworth 

Douglas 

Shawnee 

Franklin 

Douglas 

Douglas 

Lykins    (Miami) 

Wabaunsee 

Johnson 


APPENDIX 


389 


C.  Clarkson,  Sergeant-at-Arms 
F.  House,  Ass't.  S 'gt.-at-Arms 
W.  V.  Barr,  Doorkeeper 
C.  T.  K.  Prentice,  Messenger 
A.  L.  Bartlett,  Messenger    . 


Leavenworth 

Wyandotte 

Doniphan 

Douglas 

Shawnee 


ROSTER  OF  REGIMENTAL  OFFICERS,  SECOND  KAN- 
SAS INFANTRY,  MAY,  1861 


COMPANY  A 


Leonard  W.  Horn 
Thomas  Fulton    . 
Luther  H.  Wentworth 
James  C.  French 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Third  Lieutenant 


Jaa.  R.  McClure  . 
Anson  R.  Spinner 
Jas.  P.  Downer    . 
Edward  C.  D.  Lines 


COMPANY  B 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Third  Lieutenant 


Simon  F.  Hill      . 
Jas.  W.  Parmeter 
Warren   Kimball 
John  K.  Rankin 


COMPANY  C 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Third  Lieutenant 


COMPANY  D 


Joseph  Cracklin    . 
Thos.  J.  Sternbergh    . 
Lucius  J.  Shaw    . 
Edward  D.  Thompson  . 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Third  Lieutenant 


Samuel  J.  Crawford 
John  G.  Lindsay  . 
A.  R.  Morton 
S.  K.  Cross    . 


COMPANY  E 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Third  Lieutenant 


890 


KANSAS   IN   THE   SIXTIES 


COMPANY  F 


Byron  P.  Ayers  . 
E.  Bunn 

B.  B.  Mitchell     . 
D.  R.  Coleman 


Avra  P.  Russell 
Chas.  P.  Wiggins 
J.  A.  Graham 
Robt.  Newell 


A.  J.  Mitchell 
Chas.  S.  Hills 
J.  A.  Fuller 
W.  T.  Galliher 


S.  N.  Wood  . 
Chas.  Dimon 
E.  G.  Pierce  . 


Wm.  Tholen 
Gustavus  Schreyer 
Ferdinand  Jaedicke 
Jas.   C.  Bunch 


COMPANY  G 


COMPANY  H 


COMPANY  I 


COMPANY  K 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Third  Lieutenant 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Third  Lieutenant 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Third  Lieutenant 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Third  Lieutenant 


REGIMENTAL  OFFICERS  SECOND  KANSAS  CAVALRY 
MARCH,  1862 


William  F.  Cloud 
Owen  A.  Bassett 
Chas.  W.  Blair  . 
Julius  G.  Fisk    . 
John  Pratt 
Cyrus  L.  Gorden 
Joseph  P.  Root  . 
J.  W.  Robinson  . 
Charles  Reynolds 


Colonel 
Lieut-Colonel 
First  Major 
Second   Major 
Adjutant 
Quartermaster 
Surgeon 
Ass't.  Surgeon 
Chaplain 


APPENDIX 


391 


Samuel  J.  Crawford    . 
John  Johnston     . 
Samuel  K.  Cross  . 

Henry  Hopkins  . 
John  F.  Auddell  . 
Oscar  F.  Dunlap 

Daniel  S.  Whittenhall 
Edward  C.  D.  Lines  . 
William  M.  Hook 

Amazial  Moore  . 
Horace  L.  Moore 
George  W.  Stabler 

John   Gardner 
Elias  S.  Stover    . 
A.  T.  Lovelette    . 

Huge  Cameron  . 
James  C.  French 
John  A.  Lee 

Austin  W.  Matthews    . 
Patrick   Cosgrove 
G.  M.  Waugh      . 

Arthur  Gunther  . 
David  E.  Ballard 
John  K.  Rankin  . 

Byron  P.  Ayers  . 
Robert  H.  Hunt  . 
Charles  Dimon  . 

Avra  P.  Russell  . 
John  M.  Mentzer 
Barnett  B.  Mitchell 


COMPANY  A 


COMPANY  B 


COMPANY  C 


COMPANY  D 


COMPANY  E 


COMPANY  P 


COMPANY  G 


COMPANY  H 


COMPANY  I 


COMPANY  K 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 


392 


KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


ROSTER  OF  REGIMENTAL  OFFICERS  SECOND 
KANSAS  COLORED  INFANTRY 


( AFTERWARD  DESIGNATED  THE  EIGHTY-THIRD 
TROOPS) 

Samuel  J.  Crawford 

Horatio  Knowles 

James  H.  Gillpatrick 

James  H.  Gillpatrick 

Jerome  A.  Soward 

John  R.  Montgomery 

William  D.  Clark      .        .        .        .        . 

Edwin  Stokes     .        .        . 

George  E.  Hutchinson       .... 

Reuben  F.  Playford 

George  W.  Wolgamott      .... 

D.  A.  Morse      ...... 

Francis  P.  Thomas    .        .        . 

Jesse  D.  Wood 

Josiah  B.   McAfee 


COMPANY  A 


Samuel  Sanders  . 
Charles  Scofield  . 
Ralph  E.  Cook  . 
John  R.  F.  Shull 
Jesse  Buckman  . 
Charles  Scofield  . 

Richard  J.  Hinton 
John  M.  Cain 
James  M.  Trant    . 
Joshua  J.  Locker 
James  M.  Trant  . 
Joshua  J.  Locker 

James  A.  Soward 
Marcus  F.  Gillpatrick  . 
John  E.  Hayes     . 
George  E.  Hutchinson 
Thomas  Adair 
Thomas  Adair 


COMPANY  B 


COMPANY  C 


U.  S.   COLORED 

Colonel 

Lieut.-Colonel 

Lieut.-Colonel 

Major 

Major 

Adjutant 

Adjutant 

Quartermaster 

Quartermaster 

Quartermaster 

Surgeon 

Surgeon 

Ass't.  Surgeon 

Ass't.  Surgeon 

Chaplain 


Captain 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

First  Lieutenant 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
First  Lieutenant 
First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

First  Lieutenant 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 


APPENDIX 


393 


COMPANY  D 


Frank  Kister 
Reuben  F.  Playford    . 
George  E.  Hutchinson. 
William  M.  Mercer 
Benjamin  B.  B.  Reppert 


George  W.  Sands 
John  R.  Montgomery  . 
Henry  DeVilliers 
Irenaeus  C.  Myers 
William  J.  Brown 
Henry  F.  Best    . 

James  Adams 
Samuel  Kaisennan 
Isaiah  Nichols 
Isaiah  Nichols 

Ebenezer  H.  Curtiss    . 
John  M.  Cain 
David  E.  Westervelt    . 
Henry  F.  Best     . 
George   E.   Hutchinson 

Alexander  Rush  . 
Orlando  S.  Bartlett    . 
Orlando  S.  Bartlett    . 
William  M.  Mercer 
Daniel  K.  Harden 

James  L.   Rafety 
Marcus  F.   Gillpatrick 
Harry  C.  Chase  . 
Harry  C.  Chase    . 
Irenaeus  C.  Myers 

John  Branson 
William  G.  White 
Jesse  Buckman 


COMPANY  E 


COMPANY  P 


COMPANY  G 


COMPANY  H 


COMPANY  I 


COMPANY  K 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 
First  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 
Second  Lieutenant 

Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 


394 


KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


MEMBERS  KANSAS  STATE  LEGISLATURE,  1865 

STATE    SENATE 


James  McGrew,  President  . 
Bartlett,  H.  W.  K.       . 
Barber,   Oliver 
Colton,  Gustavus  A.     . 
Danford,  A.          ... 
Drenning,  Frank  H.    . 
Eskridge,   Chas.   V.     . 
Foote,   Henry 

Gambell,  W.  P.    .        .        . 
Grover,  O.  J. 
Houston,  D.  W.    . 
Home,  Daniel  H. 
Jones,  J.  H. 
Legate,  Jas.  F.     . 

Lane,  J.  T 

Manning,  E.  C.  . 
Milhoan,  T.  E.  . 
Murphy,  Thomas  . 
Potter,  F.  W. 
Quigg,  Matthew  . 
Spear,  S.  . 

Speer,   John 
Smith,  A.  H. 
Twiss,  Charles  P. 
"Weer,  William     . 
A.  Smith  Devenney,  Secretary 
W.  S.  Newberry,  Ass't.  Sec. 
M.  M.  Murdock,  Docket  Clerk 
Ira  H.  Smith,  Journal  Clerk 
L.  M.  Benedict,  Engros.  Clerk 
W.  B.  Bowman,  Enrol 'g  Clerk 
T.  Mills,  Sergeant-at-Arms  . 
Win.  Thompson,  Doorkeeper 
Wm.  Young,  Ass't.  Doorkeeper 
Clarence  Walrod,  Page 
Charles  Home,  Page  . 


Wyandotte 

Junction  City 

Kanwaka 

Paola 

Fort  Scott 

Elwood 

Emporia 

Leavenworth 

Leavenworth 

Neuchatel 

Garnett 

Topeka 

Kaw  City 

Leavenworth 

Iowa  Point 

Marysville 

Olathe 

Atchison 

Burlington 

Atchison 

Hiawatha 

Lawrence 

Blooming  Grove 

lola 

Wyandotte 

Olathe 

lola 

Burlingame 

Topeka 

Vienna 

Wyandotte 

Topeka 

Topeka 

Topeka 

Paola 

Topeka 


HOUSE   OF   REPRESENTATIVES 

Jacob  Stotler,  Speaker        .        .        .        Emporia 
Abraham,  R.  H Emporia 


APPENDIX 


395 


Atwood,  Samuel  F.     . 
Benton,  Milton  R. 
Broadhead,  J.  F. 
Browne,  O.  H.     . 
Callen,   A.  W.     . 
Campbell,  D.  G.  . 
Campbell,  D.  L.  . 
Cavender,  Henderson  . 
Christy,  J.  A. 
Church,  R.  . 
Cleavenger,   L.   D. 
Coffinberry,    C.   C. 
Cook,  Hugh  A.   . 
Craig,  Warner     . 
Darby,  Rufus 
Detrick,  D.  . 
Dille,  C.  L.  . 
Draper,  William  . 
Dutton,  M.  R.      . 
Fairchild,  G.  H. 
Finn,  Daniel  C.    . 
Foster,  R.  C. 
Fletcher,  James    . 
Glick,   Charles 
Glick,  G.  W. 
Goss,  William  . 
Griswold,  Nelson  . 
Hanway,  James    . 
Harvey,  James  M. 
Hendrick,  A.  B.  .     .  . 
Hodgson,  J.  . 
Houts,  W.  L. 
Hughes,  N.  B.      . 
Jordan,  Michael    . 
Karr,   William     . 
Kennedy,  J.  R.    . 
Kennedy,  Lawrence     . 
Kohler,  C.    . 
Leland,  Cyrus,  Jr. 
Leonard,  M.  R.     . 
Loomis,    A.   J. 
Low,  A. 


Leavenworth 

Atchison 

Mound  City 

Ridgeway 

Junction  City 

Shawnee 

Mapleton 

Garnett 

Tola 

Westmoreland 

Fort  Scott 

Lincoln 

Minneola 

Black  Jack 

Washington 

Highland 

Lanesfield 

Clinton 

Oskaloosa 

Atchison 

Syracuse 

Leavenworth 

Tecumseh 

Wyandotte 

Atchison 

Blooming  Grove 

Turkey  Creek 

Lane 

Fort  Riley 

Rising  Sun 

Paris 

Paola 

Salina 

Leavenworth 

New  Lancaster 

Lawrence 

Pleasant  Bridge 

Junction  City 

Troy 

Bazaar 

Twin  Springs 

Doniphan 


396 


KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 


Macdonald,  S.  D 

Martindale,  Win 

McClellan,  J 

Mead,  James  R 

Moody,  Joel 

Morrow,  William 

O'Brien,  T.  M 

O'Gwartney,  Thos 

Page,  F.  R 

Payne,  D.  L 

Perry,  W.  B 

Rawlings,  N.  P 

Riddle,  Robert 

Rice,  H 

Rogers,  H.  D 

Russell,  Ed 

Sammons,  I.  D 

Salisbury,  J.  P.  .... 

Scudder,  E.  S 

Shepherd,  H.  D 

Smith,  Henry 

Snyder,  S.  J.  H 

Stafford,  E 

Spencer,  J 

Stewart,  Watson 

Storch,  George      .        .        . 

Stratton,  C.  H 

Strong,  N.  Z 

Sutherland,  D.  H 

Swift,  Frank  B 

Throckmorton,  Job       .... 

Wells,  John  D 

West,  A.  G 

D.  B.  Emmert,  Chief  Clerk 
Freeman  Bell,  Ass't.  Clerk  . 

C.  S.  Lambdin,  Journal  Clerk    . 
John  MacReynolds,  Docket  Clerk 

D.  F.  Drinkwater,  Engrossing  Clerk  . 
John  T.  Cox,  Enrolling  Clerk    . 

J.  E.  Follansbee,  Ass't.  Journal  Clerk 
J.  D.  Farren,  Sergeant-at-Arms  . 
Thos.  Archer,  Ass't.  Sergeant-at-Arms 


Topeka 

Madison 

Holton 

Towanda 

Belmont 

Lecompton 

Leavenworth 

Easton 

Neosho  Rapids 

Columbus 

LeRoy 

Robinson 

Grasshopper   Falls 

Osawatomie 

Humboldt 

Elwood 

Albany 

Leavenworth 

Willow  Springs 

Wilmington 

Leavenworth 

Monrovia 

Springdale 

Council  Grove 

Humboldt 

Kennekuk 

DeSoto 

Fort  Scott 

New  Eureka 

Lawrence 

Burlington 

Barrett 

Ozark 

Fort  Scott 

Topeka 

Plymouth 

Paola 

Cedar  Point 

Ottumwa 

Topeka 

Lawrence 

Topeka 


APPENDIX 


397 


M.  B.  Crawford,  Doorkeeper      .        .  Topeka 

C.  T.  K.  Prentice,  Ass't  Doorkeeper    .  McKinney's 

William  Miller,  Page  ....  Ridgeway 

Albert  L.  Bartlett,  Page     .        .        .  Neosho  Rapid 

Wm.  R.  Griffith,  Page  ....  Topeka 


MEMBERS  KANSAS  STATE  LEGISLATURE,  1866 


THE  SENATE 

James  McGrew,  President    . 

Akin,  Eugene  L 

Anderson,   David 

Bartlett,  W.  K 

Barber,   Oliver     .... 
Drenning,  F.  H.  . 

Emmert,  D.  B 

Eskridge,  C.  V 

Foote,  Henry       .... 

Gambell,  W.  P 

Grover,  0.  J 

Houston,  D.  W 

Home,  D.  H 

Jones,  J.   H. 

Legate,  J.  F 

Manning,  E.  C.    .        .        .        . 

Miller,  Sol 

Milhoan,  T.  E 

Wheeler,  Joshua  .... 

Potter,  F.  W 

Quigg,  M.     .  ... 

Riggs,   Reuben     .        . 

Spear,  S 

Smith,  A.  H 

Twiss,   Charles     .... 
Weer,  William     .... 
A.  R.  Banks,  Secretary 
A.  Hitchcock,  Assistant  Secretary 
W.  F.  Goble,  Docket  Clerk  . 
Ira  H.  Smith,  Journal  Clerk     . 
L.  M.  Benedict,  Engrossing  Clerk 


Wyandotte 

Lawrence 

Paola 

Junction  City 

Kanwaka 

Wathena 

Fort  Scott 

Emporia 

Leavenworth 

Leavenworth 

America   City 

Garnett 

Topeka 

Kaw  City 

Leavenworth 

Marysville 

White  Cloud 

Olathe 

Pardee 

Burlington 

Atchison 

Marion   Center 

Hiawatha 

Blooming  Grove 

lola 

Wyandotte 

Lawrence 

Lawrence 

Pleasant  Ridge 

Topeka 

Vienna 


398 


KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 


W.  B.  Bowman,  Enrolling  Clerk. 
T.  Mills,  Sergeant-at-Arms 
Win.  Thompson,  Doorkeeper 
G.  Y.  Arnold,  Ass't.  Doorkeeper 
Clarence  Walrod,  Page 
J.  T.  Miller,  Page 


Wyandotte 

Topeka 

Topeka 

Topeka 

Paola 

Topeka 


HOUSE   OF   REPRESENTATIVES 


John  T.  Burris,  Speaker     . 
Allen,  W.  N.       . 
Arthur,  J.   M.     . 
Bauserman,  J.  P. 
Blair,  C.  W. 
Bradford,  J.  H.    . 

Brice,  S.  M 

Bond,   Joseph 
Bonebrake,  J.  H. 

Cain,  W.  S 

Callen,  A.  W.       . 
Carlton,  Milo 
Cavender,   H. 
Craig,  Warner 
Cochrane,  Charles 
Coffin,  A.  M. 

Drake,   C 

Dow,  Isaac  W.     . 
Fletcher,  James    . 
Foster,  R.  C. 
Fox,  Charles  E.    . 
Graham,  George    . 
Green,   W.   H.     . 
Glick,  G.  W. 
Griswold,  Nelson  . 
Gross,  James  R.  . 
Harmon,  0.  D.     . 
Harrington,  N.     . 
Harvey,  J.  M. 
Hollenberg,  G.  H. 
Holliday,  C.  K.    . 

Humber,  N 

Jackson,  W. 
Jennison,  C.  R.    . 


Olathe 

Oskaloosa 

Centreville 

Leavenworth 

Fort  Scott 

Council  Grove 

Mound  City 

Humboldt 

Lecompton 

Atchison 

Junction  City 

Pardee 

Garnett 

Baldwin  City 

Ottumwa 

Le  Roy 

Americus 

Neosho  Falls 

Tecumseh 

Leavenworth 

Highland 

Seneca 

Fort  Lincoln 

Atchison 

Turkey  Creek 

America  City 

Twin  Springs 

Palermo 

Fort  Riley 

Marysville 

Topeka 

Easton 

Atchison 

Leavenworth 


APPENDIX 


399 


Johnson,  A.  S Shawnee 

Kellogg,  Josiah Leavenworth 

Kelly,  James  H.    .        .        .        .        .  Willow  Springs 

Knight,  Jonathan          .        .        .        .  Tonganoxie 

Kohler,  C Junction  City 

Kunkel,  Jerome Rising  Sun 

Lacock,  Ira  J Hiawatha 

Martindale,  Win Madison 

Massey,  E.  W Paola 

Montgomery,  R.  H Columbus 

Mix,  F.  E Atchison 

Moore,  A.  A.       .        .        .        .        .  Marion   Center 

McAuley,  A Leavenworth 

McCabe,  David  L Eldorado 

McLellan,  James Holton 

Nash,   Lyman Wathena 

O'Brien,  T.  M Leavenworth 

Parker,  C.  E Carson 

Pearman,   H Belmont 

Pennock,  Wm.      .....  Minneola 

Preston,  H.  D Burlingame 

Phillips,  Wm.  A.         ....  Salina 

Power,  F.  M.  .        .        .  lola 

Quinn,  J.  C.         .....  Mound  City 

Rankin,  Jno.  K Lawrence 

Rees,  J.  G Mount  Gilead 

Rogers,  D Humboldt 

Rue,  G.  C Gardner 

Sanford,  Eph.  H Allen 

Stabler,  Geo.  W Huron 

Shepard,  H.  D Wilmington 

Stewart,  J.  W Garnett 

Smith,  James Barrett 

Smith,  H.  P.        .        .        .        .        .  Rock  Creek 

Smith,  Geo.  W.     .        .        .        .        .  Lawrence 

Smith,  H.  B Osawatomie 

Stotler,  Jacob Emporia 

Underbill,   S Osawatomie 

Van  Gaasbeek,  Geo Grasshopper   Falls 

Walker,  Isaiah Wyandotte 

Wellhouse,  F Pleasant  Ridge 

Wilson,  Joseph  S Mapleton 


400 


KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


Wood,  S.  N 

Woodard,  Levi 

John  T.  Morton,  Chief  Clerk    . 

John  E.  Thorpe,  Ass't  Clerk      . 

Wm.  B.  Brown,  Journal  Clerk    . 

J.  A.  Soward,  Docket  Clerk 

Dwight  G.  Hull,  Engrossing  Cl'k 

W.  H.  Cowan,  Enrolling  Clerk    . 

Thos.  Archer,  Sergeant-at-Arms. 

L.  W.  Graham,  Ass't.  Serg.-at-Arms  . 

G.  Pharaoh,  Doorkeeper 

C.  T.  K.  Prentice,  Ass  ''t.  Doorkeeper 

Wm.  R.  Griffith,  Page 

Wm.  Miller,  Page        .... 

Francis  J.  Eice,  Page 


Cottonwood  Falls 

Eudora 

Topeka 

lola 

Lawrence 

Wyandotte 

Atchison 

Topeka 

Topeka 

Elmendaw 

Lawrence 

Lawrence 

Topeka 

Ridgeway 

Topeka 


MEMBERS  KANSAS  STATE  GOVERNMENT, 
1867 

STATE  OFFICERS 

Samuel  J.  Crawford,  Governor. 

N.  Green,  Lieutenant-Governor. 

R.  A.  Barker,  Sec.  of  State. 

J.  R.  Swallow,  Auditor. 

M.  Anderson,  Treasurer. 

P.  Mac  Vicar,  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction. 

G.  H.  Hoyt,  Attorney  General. 


JUDGES  OF  THE  SUPREME  COURT 


S.  A.  Kingman 
J.  Safford      . 
L.  D.  Bailey  . 


Chief  Justice 
Associate  Justice 
Associate   Justice 


JUDGES   OF   DISTRICT    COURTS 


D.  F.  Brewer. 

R.  St.  Clair  Graham 

C.  K.  Gilchrist      . 

D.  M.  Valentine 
J.  H.  Watson 


Sixth  District 
First  District 
Second  District 
Third  District 
Fourth  District 


APPENDIX 


401 


D.  P.  Lowe    . 
William  Spriggs     . 
James  Humphrey  . 
S.  N.  Wood 


THE  SENATE 


N.  Green,  President    . 
Abbott,   James   B. 
Blakely,  William  S.     . 
Clark,  N.  C.          .        . 

Cooper,  S.  S 

Dodge,  William  H.      .        .        . 
Emmert,  D.  B.     . 

Fisher,  J.  K 

Foster,  R.  C 

Graham,  George  .... 

Green,  L.  F 

Haas,  H.  C.         .        . 
Harvey,  James  M. 

Low,   A 

McFarland,  P 

Maxson,  P.  B 

Price,  J.  M. 

Rogers,  James      .... 

Riggs,  Samuel  A.         ... 

Scott,  J.  W 

Sharp,  I.  B 

Simpson,  B.  F 

Underbill,   D 

Veale,  G.  W 

Wiley,  A 

Wood,  S.  N 

A.  R.  Banks,  Secretary 
Jos.  Specks,  Ass't  Secretary 
M.  R.  Dutton,  Jounral  Clerk 
W.  F.  Goble,  Docket  Clerk  . 
A.  J.  Simpson,  Engrossing  Clerk 
Geo.  B.  Holmes,  Enrolling  Clerk. 
D.  L.  Payne,  Sergeant-at-Arms  . 
J.  Drew,  Ass  't  Serg  't-at-Arms  . 
Geo.  W.  Weed,  Doorkeeper. 


Fifth  District 
Seventh   District 
Eighth  District 
Ninth  District 


Manhattan 

DeSoto 

Chapman  Creek 

Wathena 

Oskaloosa 

Holton 

Fort  Scott 

Huron 

Leavenworth 

Seneca 

Baldwin    City 

Leavenworth 

Fort  Riley 

Doniphan 

Leavenworth 

Emporia 

Atchison 

Burlingame 

Lawrence 

Tola 

Wyandotte 

Paola 

Jackson 

Topeka 

Ottawa 

Cottonwood  Falls 

Lawrence 

Wyandotte 

Grantville 

Pleasant  Ridge 

Carlyle 

Topeka 

Troy 

Burlingame 

Pardee 


402 


KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


G.  Pharaoh,  Ass  't  Doorkeeper 
Clarence  "Walrod,  Page 
Win.  B.  Griffin,  Page  . 
Wm.  H.  Fletcher,  Page      . 


Louisville 
Paola 
Topeka 
Topeka 


HOUSE   OF    REPRESENTATIVES 


P.  B.  Plumb,  Speaker  . 
Allen,  Harvey 
Barker,  Thomas  J. 
Booth,  Henry 
Bowman,  George  W.    . 
Bowman,  William 
Brandley,  Harry  . 
Bryant,  Peter 
Butts,  W.  C. 
Bent,  C.  H.  . 
Clark,  T.  H. 
Cloyes,  M.  J. 
Collins,  T.  E.       . 
Columbia,  Charles 
Conner,  J.  D. 
Crocker,  Allen     . 
Draper,  William  . 
Dugan,  John 
Estep,   Enoch 
Evans,  B.  D. 
Faulkner,  J.  K.  . 
Finn,  D.  C.          . 
Flickinger,  B. 
Gates,  Lorenzo     . 
Goodin,  Joel  K.  . 
Goodin,  J.  B. 
Gregory,  H.  J.     . 
Hamby,  William  N.     . 
Hannon,    J. 
Hannum,   J. 
Harmon,  0.  D.     . 
Harper,  G.  B. 
Hindman,  S. 
Hollenberg,  G.  H. 


Emporia 

Leavenworth 

Wyandotte 

Manhattan 

Atchison 

Atchison 

Bazaar 

Banner 

Grasshopper  Falls 

Oswego 

Big  Springs 

Lancaster 

Albany 

Council  Grove 

Eldorado 

Burlington 

Clinton 

Leavenworth 

Paris 

Elwood 

Stranger 

Pleasant  View 

Geary  City 

Gatesville 

Baldwin  City 

Humboldt 

Belmont 

Garnett 

Leavenworth 

America  City 

Twin  Springs 

Neosho  Bapids 

Willow  Springs 

Marysville 


APPENDIX 


403 


Huffman,  William 
Jaquith,  J.  D. 
Jenkins,  E.  J. 
Jenkins,  R.  W. 
Jewitt,  J.  W. 
Johnson,  A.  . 
Johnson,  F.  M.     . 
Kendall,  J.  A.      . 
Kennedy,  L. 
Kennedy,  T.  H.    . 
Kibbe,  William  B. 
Killen,  Daniel 
Knight,    Jonathan 
Lane,  J.  S.  . 
Luce,  J.  M.  . 
Lecompte,  S.  D.  . 
Lindsay,    Thomas. 
Loomis,  H.  J. 
Lyon,  M.  B. 
Manlove,  S.  A.     . 
May,  William  J.  . 
Mclntosh,  W.  A.  . 
Miller,   Josiah 
Mobley,  E.  D.      . 
Moore,  A.  A. 
Oliver,  J.  B. 
Palmer,  S.  E.  A.  . 
Parker,  C.  E. 
Parker,  W.  E.      . 
Power,  F.  M. 
Przybylowicz,  M.  . 
Eobb,  George  H.  . 
Eogers,    D.   . 
Eupe,  J.  B.  . 
Sheldon,   H.    C.    . 
Spencer,  James  M. 
Spillman,  A.  C.    . 
Sponable,  J.  W.  . 
Stover,  E.  S. 
Thompson,  C.  H.  . 
Thompson,  G.  W. 


New  Lancaster 

Americus 

Troy 

Vienna 

Coyville 

Shawnee 

Winchester 

Squiresville 

Pleasant  Eidge 

Lawrence 

Ohio  City 

Wyandotte 

Tonganoxie 

Blooming  Grove 

Centropolis 

Leavenworth 

Garnett 

Mission  Creek 

Montcello 

Fort  Scott 

Monrovia 

Barnesville 

Lawrence 

Salina 

Marion  Centre 

Eossville 

Auburn 

Carson 

Iowa  Point 

Carlyle 

Leavenworth 

Troy 

Eogers  Mill 

Elk  Creek 

Burlingame 

Topeka 

Salina 

Gardner 

Junction  City 

Abilene 

Atchison 


404 


KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


Throckmorton,  Job Burlington 

Travis,  W.  F Marmaton 

Tucker,  Edwin Eureka 

Turner,  Joshua  ,  Easton 

Updegraff,  W.  W Osawatomie 

Venard,  A. Osawkee 

Way,  James  P Mound  City 

Wells,  J.  D Barrett's  P.  0. 

Willis,  M.  G Kennekuk 

Wilson,  J.  S Mapleton 

John  T.  Morton,  Chief  Clerk      .        .  Topeka 

<J.  H.  Prescott,  Ass't  Clerk  .        .        .  Salina 

Wm.  R.  Brown,  Journal  Clerk    .        .  Emporia 

G.  D.  Stinebaugh,  Enrolling  Clerk      .  Ohio  City 

Asa  Hairgrove,  Engrossing  Clerk      .  Topeka 

D.  B.  Jackman,  Docket  Clerk      .        .  Fort  Lincoln 

J.  A.  Hunter,  Sergeant-at-Arms         .  Topeka 

M.  B.  Crawford,  Ass't  Ser.-at-Arms    .  Topeka 

J.  M  Adair,  Doorkeeper      .        .        .  Burlington 

M.  R.  Moore,  Ass't  Doorkeeper  .        .  Topeka 

Frank  Rice,  Page        ....  Topeka 

Charlie  Painter,  Page  ....  Emporia 

Willie  Miller,  Page Ridgeway 

C.  N.  Norton,  Page      ....  Topeka. 


ROSTER  OF  OFFICERS  EIGHTEENTH  KANSAS  CAV- 
ALRY, JULY  15,  1867 

MAJOR 

Horace  L.  Moore,  Lawrence 


COMPANY  A 


Henry  C.  Lindsay,  Topeka  . 
Thomas  Hughes,  Lawrence  . 
John  H.  Wellman,  Topeka  . 


COMPANY  B 


Edgar  A.  Barker,  Junction  City  . 
John  W.  Price,  Fort  Harker 
Samuel  L.  Hybarger,  Fort  Harker 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 


APPENDIX 


405 


COMPANY    C 


George  B.  Jenness,  Ottawa 
Peleg  Thomas,  Wyandotte  . 
James  Reynolds,  Garnett  . 


COMPANY  D 


David  L.  Payne,  Doniphan 
John  M.  Cain,  Atchison  . 
Henry  Hegwer,  Marion 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 


Captain 

First  Lieutenant 

Second  Lieutenant 


MEMBERS  KANSAS  STATE  LEGISLATURE,  1868 


THE   SENATE 


N.  Green,  President    . 
Abbott,  James  B. 
Blakely,  William  S.    . 
Clark,  N.  C. 
Cooper,  S.  S. 
Dodge,  William    . 
Elder,  P.  P. 
Foster,  R.   C. 
Graham,  George  . 
Green,  L.  F. 
Haas,  H.   C. 
Harvey,  James  M. 
Hippie,  Samuel    . 
Learnard,  0.  E.    . 

Low,  A 

Matheny,  W.  M.    . 

Maxon,  P.  B. 

McFarland,  P.     .        .        . 

Moore,  A.  A. 

Price,  John  M.     . 

Rogers,   James 

Scott,  J.  W. 

Sharp,  Isaac  B.    . 

Simpson,  B.  F.     . 

Underbill,  D. 

Veale,  G.  W. 

E.  C.  Manning,  Secretary    . 


Manhattan 

DeSoto 

Junction  City 

Columbus 

Oskaloosa 

Holton 

Ottawa 

Leavenworth 

Seneca 

Baldwin  City 

Leavenworth 

Fort  Riley 

Monrovia 

Lawrence 

Doniphan 

Baxter  Springs 

Emporia 

Leavenworth 

Marion  Centre 

Atchison 

Burlingame 

lola 

Wyandotte  City 

Paola 

Jackson 

Topeka 

Manhattan 


406 


KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


Jos.  Speck,  Ass't.  Secretary        .  .  Wyandotte 

M.  R.  Button,  Journal  Clerk      .  .  Grantville 

J.  H.  Titsworth,  Docket  Clerk    .  .  Pardee 

A.  J.  Simpson,  Engrossing  Clerk  .  Carlyle 

Geo.  B.  Bolmes,  Enrolling  Clerk  .  .  Topeka 

M.  W.  Reynolds,  Official  Reporter  .  Lawrence 

D.  L.  Payne,  Sergt-at-Arms        .  .  Troy 

J.  Drew,  Ass't.  Sergt-at-Arms    .  .  Burlingame 

Geo.  W.  Weed,  Doorkeeper          .  .  Parde 

G.  Pharaoh,  Ass't.  Doorkeeper    .  .  Louisville 

Clarence  J.  Walrod,  Page    .        .  .  Paola 

William  R.  Griffith,  Page    .        .  .  Topeka 

Win.  H.  Fletcher,  Page        .        .  Erie 


HOUSE  OP   REPRESENTATIVES 


Geo.  W.  Smith,  Speaker 
Andrews,  A.  J.    . 
Armstrong,  Robert 
Bierer,   Everard  . 
Blackburn,  Henry 
Blanton,  N.  B.     . 
Bruner,  J.  B. 
Butler,  T.  H. 
Butts,  W.  C. 
Byram,  A. 
Campbell,  D.  G. 
Cooley,  James 
Donaldson, 
Downs,  John 
Drinkwater,  0.  H. 
Duncan,  Charles  C.     . 
Edmundson,    Lewis 
Fay   P.         ... 
Finney,  D.  W.     . 
Fletcher,  James 
Foster,  James  N. 
FuUer,  C.  0. 
Gambell,   W.   P. 
Garrett,  J.  W.     . 
Glick,  G.  W. 
Goodin,   Joel  K. 
Gossett,  J.  W.      . 


Lawrence 

Neosho  Rapids 

Perry 

Hiawatha 

Linnville 

Humboldt 

Gardner 

Erie 

Grasshopper   Falls 

Atchison 

Shawnee 

Mt.  Pleasant 

Chelsea 

Albany 

Cedar  Point 

Ellsworth 

lola 

New  Albany 

Neosho  Falls 

Tecumseh 

Peoria  City 

Marion  Centre 

Leavenworth 

Potosi 

Atchison 

Baldwin  City 

Paola 


APPENDIX 


407 


Grover,    Joel Lawrence 

Guthrie,  John Topeka 

Hagaman,  James  M.  ...  Elk  Creek 

Hamby,  W.  N Garnett 

Hamilton,  John  ....  Hamilton 

Hastings,  W.  H.          ....  Pleasant  Ilidge 

Headley,  T.  G Garnett 

Hewitt,   Richard  ....  Wyandotte 

Hinton,  William          ....  Fort  Lincoln 

Hodgins,   I. Centralia 

Hollingsworth,  S.  ,  Tonganoxie 

Huffman,   William New  Lancaster 

Hulett,  E.  M.  .        .        .        .  Fort  Scott 

Ingraham,   Nathan  D.  Baxter  Springs 

Jaquith,   J.   D Americus 

Jenkins,    E.   J Troy 

Jenkins,  R.  W Vienna 

Jennison,  C.  R Leavenworth 

Johnston,  D.  M.  ....  Manhattan 

Johnston,  W.  S.  ....  Oskaloosa 

Johnson,  W.  S Lancaster 

Kelley,  Harrison          ....  Ottumwa 

Lamb,  William Detroit 

Lane,  Vincent  J.          ....  Wyandotte 

Lecompte,  Samuel  D.          ...  Leavenworth 

Locke,  D.  W.  C Holton 

Millard,  Ed.  F.  ....  Salina 

Miller,  G.  W South  Cedar 

Mitchell,  William          ....  Wabaunseo 

Mobley,  R.   D Minneapolis 

Moore,  J.  B Fort  Scott 

Moore,  H.  C Troy 

Moore,  H.  Miles          ....  Leavenworth 

Patrick,  A.  G Irving 

Philbrick,   J.  L.  ....  Doniphan 

Plumb,  P.  B Emporia 

Ristine,  M.  H Clay  Center 

Robinson,  J.  P DeSoto 

Rockefeller,  Philip       ....  Albany 

Ryan,  Matthew Leavenworth 

Sears,  Charles Eudora 

Sharp,  Isaac Council  Grove 


408 


KANSAS  IN  THE   SIXTIES 


Smalley,  B.  F Xenia 

Smallwood,  W.  H Wathena 

Smith,  A.  A Twin  Springs 

Smith,  P.  H.        .....  Leroy 

Snoddy,  James  D Mound  City 

Snyder,  S.  F.  .        .        .        .  Washington 

Stewart,  J.  B.     .        .        .        .        .  Burlingame 

Thompson,  G.  W.          ....  Atchison 

Tucker,  Edwin Eureka 

Tucker,  Horace Sigel 

Vanderslice,  Thos.  J Highland 

Wallace,  James  L.  .        .  Leavenworth 

Watkins,  W.   C.          ....  Oswego 

Webb,  W.  E.  .        .        .        .  Hays  City 

Welsh,  H.  P. Ottawa 

Williams,  B.  W.          ....  Monrovia 

Williams,  H.  H.  ....  Osawatomie 

Wright,  John  K.  ;  Junction  City 

Zinn,  George  W.          ....  Lecompton 

John  T.  Morton,  Chief  Clerk      .        .  Topeka 

E.  C.  Kennedy,  Ass't  Clerk         .        .  Leavenworth 

J.  M.  Mahan,  Journal  Clerk        .        .  Junction  City 

M.  R.  Moore,  Docket  Clerk          .        .  Topeka 

Emma  Hunt,  Enrolling  Clerk      .        .  Emporia 

N.  Merchant,  Engrossing  Clerk    .        .  Peoria  City 

H.  C.  Hollister,  Reporter     .        .        .  Leavenworth 

H.  H.  Sawyer,  Sergeant-at-Arms         .  Wyandotte 

M.  B.  Crawford,  Ass  't.  Sergt.-at-Arms  Topeka 

Horace  Gibbs,  Doorkeeper          .        .  Oskaloosa 

C.  S.  Norton,  Ass  't.  Doorkeeper          .  Topeka 

Frank  J.  Nice,  Page    .        .        .        .'  Topeka 

Charles  F.  Painter,  Page    .        :        .  Emporia 

Edwin  S.  Eldridge,  Page    .        .        ;  Lawrence 


APPENDIX  409 

ADDEESS  OF  HON.  JOHN  DAWSON  ON  THE  LEGIS- 
LATURE OF  1868 

DELIVERED     BEFORE     THE     KANSAS     STATE     HISTORICAL     SOCIETY, 
DECEMBER  4,  1906 

"  There  have  been  notable  parliaments,  conventions,  con- 
gresses, and  legislative  assemblies  in  the  history  of  every  coun- 
try and  of  every  State.  There  are  occasional  epoch-making 
events  which  call  the  representative  men  of  a  commonwealth 
together  to  devise  methods  and  measures  for  the  common 
good,  and  the  net  result  of  their  deliberations  makes  history 
which  is  felt  at  home  and  abroad  for  generations  afterward. 
Such  an  assembly  was  the  first  Olympiad  of  the  Hellenes  in 
776  B.  C.  Such  was  the  result  of  the  convention  of  the  De- 
cemvirs who  promulgated  the  twelve  tables  of  laws  for  an- 
cient Rome.  So,  too,  the  Long  Parliament  of  England,  and 
the  National  Assembly  of  France  —  the  harbinger  of  the 
French  Revolution.  Instances  could  well  be  multiplied  in 
American  history. 

'  But  it  is  only  once  or  twice  in  a  century  that  the  occa- 
sion is  presented  where  an  assembly  of  lawmakers  may  estab- 
lish or  decree  a  policy  or  code  which  accentuates  history  from 
the  very  day  of  its  enactment.  It  is  rather  by  laborious  and 
dispassionate  attention  to  the  commonplace  duties  of  civic 
life  that  the  average  lawmaking  body  leaves  its  impress  upon 
the  economic  life  of  the  State.  It  is  an  impress  unnoticed  at 
the  time,  but  it  is  there  nevertheless,  and  nets  an  approximate 
good  or  ill  upon  the  common  weal. 

' '  In  the  American  States,  subject,  as  they  are,  to  two  sov- 
ereignties, opportunity  for  epoch-making  legislation  is  less 
likely  to  arise  in  the  State  assemblies  than  in  the  national 
Legislature  —  the  Federal  authority  taking  over  to  itself,  very 
properly,  all  matters  of  national  concern.  This,  as  Professor 
Bryce  has  noted,  causes  a  deterioration  in  the  intellectual 
fibre  of  the  average  State  Legislature,  as  little  elbow-room  is 
afforded  to  give  scope  to  the  talents  of  men  of  the  highest 
statesmanship.  Accordingly,  the  Legislatures  of  the  several 
States  are  commonly  given  over  to  men  of  second-rate  intel- 
lectual vigor  and  of  mediocre  capacity.  It  is  seldom  that  men 
of  the  highest  talents  of  constructive  statesmanship  can  be 
induced  to  serve  their  community  in  the  State  Legislature. 
Thus  it  happens  that  mediocrity  is  characteristic  of  the  aver- 


410  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

age  Legislature.  And  yet  on  that  score  it  may  be  said  that 
such  an  assembly  is  more  truly  representative  of  the  people 
who  elect  them  than  a  congress  of  collegians  and  professors 
of  economics  would  be;  for  it  is  not  to  be  denied  that  medi- 
ocrity and  commonplace  are  most  truly  typical  of  the  people 
themselves. 

' '  Perhaps  we  can  agree  that  the  true  worth  of  a  legislative 
body  will  depend  upon  the  painstaking  and  conscientious 
manner  in  which  it  deals  with  the  matters  at  its  hand,  viewed 
from  a  sufficient  distance  of  time  to  measure  and  gauge  its 
results,  and  when  its  deliberations  have  been  welded  by  ad- 
ministration into  the  jurisprudence  of  the  commonwealth. 
Judged  by  this  standard  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Kan- 
sas for  the  year  1868  is  easily  the  greatest  Legislature  that 
ever  assembled  in  this  State,  and,  tried  by  the  test  of  thirty- 
eight  years'  results,  it  is  second  only  to  the  Wyandotte  Con- 
stitutional Convention  of  1859. 

' '  For  campaign  political  expediency  a  very  high  —  in  fact 
an  extravagant  —  place  has  been  claimed  for  the  Legislature 
of  1905,  and  we  will  all  bear  witness  to  the  earnest  spirit  with 
which  that  body  approached  and  grappled  with  its  problems ; 
but  it  is  too  soon  —  the  perspective  is  yet  too  close  —  to  justly 
determine  the  lasting  worth  of  its  deliberations.  If  time  and 
experience  give  the  Legislature  of  1905  a  place  of  note  among 
Kansas  Legislatures,  it  is  apt  to  be  based  upon  what  it  at- 
tempted and  failed  to  do  as  much  as  upon  its  constructive 
work.  But  this,  too,  is  conjecture.  Let  a  third  of  a  century 
roll  by,  and  let  our  children  determine  its  value. 

' '  And  now  to  the  Legislature  of  1868.  A  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  records  of  the  time,  the  journals  of  the  assembly, 
the  newspapers,  the  manuscripts,  etc.,  fails  to  disclose  the  fact 
that  the  members  of  that  Legislature  considered  themselves 
or  their  deliberative  body  in  any  way  out  of  the  ordinary.  It 
is  commonly  a  praiseworthy  and  conscientious  mood  in  which 
a  lawmaker  forgathers  with  his  fellows  in  the  legislative  as- 
sembly. Only  after  repeated  jolts  are  his  ideals  shattered. 
The  halo  of  the  legislative  hurdy-gurdy  does  not  evaporate 
in  a  day.  So  far  as  can  now  be  known,  the  Legislature  of 
1868  was,  in  all  outward  respects,  much  like  its  predecessors 
and  successors.  There  may  have  been  more  than  the  usual 
number  of  really  big  men  of  the  State  in  that  session  of  the 
Legislature  —  I  suppose  there  were.  George  W.  Glick  was 


APPENDIX  411 

there,  and  was  chairman  of  the  judiciary  committee  of  the 
House.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  honorable  old  sage, 
who  had  been  known  for  the  last  decade  or  two  as  a  patron 
and  practioner  of  agriculture,  had  in  earlier  life  a  long  and 
honorable  career  as  a  lawyer,  and  he  was  in  the  zenith  of  his 
career  as  an  attorney  when  he  served  in  the  Legislature  of 
1868. 

' '  D.  W.  Finney  was  there ;  John  Guthrie  was  a  member ; 
so  were  Harrison  Kelley,  Samuel  D.  Lecompte,  H.  Miles 
Moore,  W.  H.  Smallwood,  and  James  D.  Snoddy,  and  others 
who  have  filled  their  niche  and  made  an  honorable  name  for 
themselves  in  Kansas.  Over  in  the  Senate  were  James  M. 
Harvey,  0.  E.  Learnard,  W.  M.  Matheney,  John  M.  Price,  B. 
F.  Simpson,  Geo.  W.  Veale,  P.  P.  Elder,  and  others  of  note  — 
yes,  on  reflection,  it  is  perhaps  safe  to  say  that  the  personnel  of 
the  Legislature  of  1868  was  considerably  above  the  average. 
In  fact,  there  were  men  in  both  Houses  who  could  adorn,  and 
who  have  adorned,  the  highest  walks  of  public  life. 

"  In  the  Senate  were  eight  farmers,  seven  lawyers,  three 
merchants,  three  physicians,  a  conveyancer,  a  banker,  a  car- 
penter, and  a  freighter,  twenty-five  members  in  all.  Politi- 
cally classified,  there  were  five  Democrats,  twelve  Republi- 
cans, seven  Radical  Republicans,  and  two  Radicals.  Just 
what  subtle  niceties  in  political  economy  caused  the  shades  of 
distinction  between  Republicans  and  Radical  Republicans, 
and  between  Radical  Republicans  and  mere  Radicals,  is  diffi- 
cult to  say.  It  may  be  a  very  poor  guess  to  say  that  it  was 
analogous  to  the  secta  of  '  the  grand  old  party  '  to-day 
where  certain  philosophical  principles  have  caused  it  to  ar- 
range its  membership  into  three  classes,  namely :  the  machine, 
the  boss-busters,  and  the  square-dealers. 

"In  the  house  there  were  forty-four  farmers,  seventeen 
lawyers,  seven  merchants,  five  physicians,  a  minister,  and  one 
each  of  fourteen  other  common  avocations.  The  political 
complexion  of  the  house  was  twenty-eight  Democrats,  fifty- 
three  Republicans,  two  Radical  Republicans,  one  Radical,  one 
Independent,  one  Democratic  Republican,  one  '  Democrati- 
cally disposed,'  and  one  '  mixed.' 

"  The  names  of  the  Senators  and  Representatives  may  be 
found  in  the  volume  of  special  laws  of  the  session  of  1868, 
but  it  is  a  curious  thing  that  neither  the  House  nor  the  Sen- 
ate Journal  contains  a  list  of  the  members.  The  padding  of 


412  KANSAS  IN   THE  SIXTIES 

legislative  journals  for  purposes  of  revenue,  which  in  later 
years  became  reduced  to  such  a  fine  art,  was  unthought  of 
by  E.  C.  Manning,  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  and  John  T. 
Morton,  Chief  Clerk  of  the  House.  It  is  perhaps  the  glamour 
which  time  throws  over  that  session  of  thirty-eight  years  ago, 
but  the  words  of  the  poet  kept  trying  to  run  off  the  point  of 
my  pen  all  the  time  that  I  was  jotting  down  my  notes  for 
this  address:  '  Then  none  were  for  a  party,  but  all  were  for 
the  State.' 

"  The  Message  of  Governor  Crawford  to  the  Legislature 
is  a  most  valuable  resume  of  the  affairs  of  the  State  at  that 
time.  Opening  with  the  usual  greetings,  he  branches  at  once 
into  the  financial  affairs  of  the  State,  saying  that  the  prop- 
erty on  the  tax-rolls  of  the  State  is  $56,276,360 ;  but  ventures 
the  confident  opinion  that  there  is  one  hundred  million 
dollars  worth  of  property  in  Kansas,  and  that  it  is  for  the 
Legislature  to  find  means  and  methods  to  remedy  this  '  glar- 
ing defect.'  Just  what  this  grand  old  man  would  have  said 
if  he  had  the  present-day  '  glaring  defect  '  in  the  assessed 
property  returns  to  deal  with  may  be  imagined,  but  can 
hardly  be  described.  The  total  receipts  for  the  State  in  1867 
were  $183,833.52  —  not  as  much  as  the  fiscal  income  of  a  good 
second-class  county  nowadays.  The  interest  receipts  on  the 
permanent  school  fund  for  the  last  year,  1867,  were  four  hun- 
dred and  twenty  dollars.  There  would  be  no  chance  for  a 
Rowett  or  a  Moxey  to  earn  a  reputation  examining  the  State 
Treasury  shortages  in  1868. 

"  The  permanent  school  fund  amounted  to  $59,846.03 
The  bonds  of  the  State  sold  for  ninety  and  ninety-one  cents 
on  the  dollar  without  clipping  any  coupons,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, by  leaving  on  past-due  coupons  which  had  matured 
while  the  bonds  were  being  hawked  about  the  country  seek- 
ing a  purchaser.  The  Governor  gives  interesting  information 
regarding  education  in  Kansas,  manifesting  that  splendid 
self-denying  spirit  which  has  swelled  into  a  full  tide  with  the 
passing  years,  and  which  is  the  crowning  harvest  of  the  dream 
of  the  pioneers. 

We  go  to  plant  her  common  schools 

On  distant  prairie  swells, 

And  give  the  Sabbaths  of  the  wild 

The  music  of  her  bells. 

"  A  subject  which  has  passed  from  consideration,  now- 


APPENDIX  413 

adays  and  for  all  time,  but  which  was  of  overshadowing  and 
tremendous  importance  in  1868,  and  which  was  extensively 
treated  by  Governor  Crawford,  was  Indian  depredations. 
The  Governor  aptly  says  that  '  a  well-organized  militia  is 
necessary  for  the  security  of  a  free  State  ' ;  and  it  certainly 
was  in  Kansas  in  1868,  when  the  Cheyennes,  Osages,  Otoes, 
Wichitas,  Kiowas,  Arapahoes,  Sioux,  Comanches,  and  Paw- 
nees, swarmed  over  the  prairies,  stealing  horses  and  murdering 
settlers,  not  only  on  the  frontier,  but  penetrating  the  State 
far  into  the  settled  districts. 

"  The  State  charities  were  reviewed,  there  being  twenty- 
five  inmates  at  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  Institute  at  Olathe,  and 
twenty-two  in  the  asylum  at  Osawatomie.  The  Governor  in- 
forms the  Legislature  that  the  lease  will  soon  expire  on  the 
buildings  rented  for  the  State  Government,  and  hopes  that 
the  east  wing  of  the  new  State-house  will  be  ready  for  occu- 
pancy by  the  time  the  Legislature  meets  again. 

"  The  Governor  felicitated  much  on  the  fact  that  the 
State  had  five  hundred  and  twenty -three  miles  of  railroad; 
boasts  of  its  excellent  quality ;  of  the  fact  that  the  Union  Pa- 
cific earned  over  a  million  dollars  for  the  preceding  year.  He 
refers  to  the  railroad  land-grants,  including  that  of  the 
'  Katy,'  which  has  recently  been  much  talked  about  by  men 
who  know  nothing  about  it,  and  by  others  who  know  consid- 
erable about  it,  which  is  n't  true. 

' '  The  Legislature  is  urged  to  give  its  assistance  to  immi- 
gration, for  the  Governor  says :  '  Kansas  cannot  afford  to  re- 
main idle  while  other  States  are  using  every  honorable  means 
in  their  power  to  encourage  immigrants  to  settle  within  their 
borders.  The  immigration  for  1867  was  fifty  thousand,  and 
it  should  have  been  one  hundred  thousand.' 

"  The  Governor  touches  on  the  Paris  exposition  and  the 
interest  of  Kansas  therein ;  pours  forth  the  vials  of  his  honest 
wrath  against  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  on  account  of 
what  he  calls  the  infamous  treaty  with  James  F.  Joy  for  the 
sale  of  eight  hundred  thousand  acres  of  neutral  lands,  con- 
siderable part  of  which  was  occupied  by  settlers.  The  Osage 
lands,  he  declares,  embarrassed  the  proper  development  of 
the  State.  He  commends  the  work  of  the  codifying  commis- 
sion to  the  earnest  attention  of  the  Legislature,  giving  his 
views  as  a  stout  and  staunch  Union  patriot  on  the  necessity 
of  putting  aside  mawkish  sentimentality  in  dealing  with 


414 


KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


rebels  and  traitors,  and  winds  up  with  a  solemn  conjuration 
on  the  necessity  of  legislative  economy  ;  and  there  is  no  touch 
of  irony  in  that,  either,  although  there  was  no  money  in  the 
treasury  to  pay  even  the  law-makers'  per  diem  and  mileage. 

'  '  In  these  days,  when  it  costs  over  two  and  a  half  million 
dollars  a  year  to  run  the  State  Government,  a  brief  review  of 
the  Governmental  expenses  of  the  early  days  cannot  fail  to 
be  instructive: 


In  1861 
In  1862 
In  1863 
In  1864 
In  1865 
In  1866 
In  1867 
In  1868 


the  total 
the  total 
the  total 
the  total 
the  total 
the  total 
the  total 
the  total 


expenses 
expenses 
expenses 
expenses 
expenses 
expenses 
expenses 
expenses 


of  State 
of  State 
of  State 
of  State 
of  State 
of  State 
of  State 
of  State 


Government 
Government 
Government 
Government 
Government 
Government 
Government 
Government 


were 
were 
were 
were 
were 
were 
were 
were 


$  84,775.93 
92,508.53 
137,259.54 
173,977.01 
154,768.66 
234,555.36 
234,555.36 
274,533.14 


"  The  disbursements  authorized  by  the  session  of  1868 
were  as  follows: 


Legislative  expenses 

Judiciary 

Executive   Department 

Secretary   of  State         .... 

Auditor 

Treasurer      .         . 

Attorney-general 

Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction 

State    University 

Adjutant-general 

State  Printing 

Eent  of  State-house 

Deaf  and  Dumb 

State  Normal  School 

State  Agricultural  College 

Insane  Asylum 

Blind  Asylum 

Penitentiary 

Miscellaneous  ...... 

Price-raid    commission 
Negotiating  sale  of  State  bonds 
Printing  general  statutes 


32,978.00 

22,950.00 

4,700.00 

6,300.00 

3,350.00 

3,000.00 

1,250.00 

2,100.00 

7,500.00 

5,205.25 

18,000.00 

1,800.00 

10,500.00 

5,637.00 

8,715.00 

12,600.00 

11,722.11 

80,255.64 

13,512.87 

4,457.27 

3,000.00 

15,000.00 


Total $274,533.14 

"  Of  the  foregoing  appropriations,  much  was  for  institu- 
tional buildings.     Thus  the  total  disbursements  of  Kansas' 


APPENDIX  415 

greatest  legislative  session  were  but  slightly  in  excess  of  a 
quarter  of  a  million  dollars.  It  was  not  until  as  late 'as  1883 
that  the  legislative  appropriations  for  the  State  Government 
passed  the  million-dollar  mark.  That  year  they  were  $1,005,- 
540.91.  But  Kansas  by  that  time  had  cleaved  her  way  through 
the  preliminary  difficulties  and  was  striking  a  million-dollar 
gait  in  her  upward  and  onward  journey,  in  her  glorious  race 
'  to  the  stars.' 

"  In  this  year  of  bountiful  harvests  and  opulent  citizen- 
ship, the  legislative  appropriations  authorized  by  the  last  ses^ 
sion  (1905)  are  $2,974,720.10,  and  with  the  fees  collected  and 
disbursed  by  the  several  State  departments,  will  push  the  ex- 
penses of  State  Government  for  1906  over  the  line  of  three 
million  dollars.  Yet  the  State  levy  for  1906  is  substantially 
what  it  was  in  1868,  although  the  intervening  years  have  seen 
it  much  higher.  But  according  to  Governor  Crawford's  mes- 
sage in  1868,  only  half  of  the  property  of  the  State  escaped 
taxation.  To-day  the  proportion  is  much  greater,  and  yet  the 
burdens  of  State  Government  rest  as  lightly  to-day  upon  the 
fraction  of  our  people  and  property  paying  taxes  as  they  did 
in  1868.  This  goes  to  show  that  our  ability  to  pay  taxes  has 
even  outrun  our  extravagance. 

' '  The  great  work  of  the  session  of  1868  was  enacting  stat- 
utes which  cover  practically  every  subject  of  our  civil  polity. 
That  Legislature  in  fact  made  the  law  of  the  land.  The  Leg- 
islature of  1867  had  authorized  the  Governor  to  appoint  a 
commission  to  revise  and  codify  the  laws  of  the  State,  and  the 
executive  had  commissioned  for  that  pretentious  work  three 
men  qualified  indeed  for  such  a  task.  These  were  Samuel  A. 
Riggs,  of  Douglas  County,  John  M.  Price,  of  Atchison  County, 
and  James  McCahon,  of  Leavenworth  County ;  and  some  day, 
when  Kansas  gets  through  with  her  more  utilitarian  tasks  of 
building  cities  and  railroads  and  pipe-lines  and  irrigation 
ditches,  and  turns  to  take  a  thought  of  those  who  have  laid 
the  foundation  of  her  greatness,  and  to  commemorate  the 
memory  of  those  who  despised  not  the  day  of  small  things  — 
when  we  come  to  adorn  the  State-house  square  with  statues 
of  those  who  served  her  with  distinction,  there  will  be  a  mon- 
ument of  brass  and  marble  to  Biggs,  Price,  and  McCahon, 
who  whipped  into  efficient  and  practical  shape  the  confused 
and  crazy  patchwork  of  legislation  which  constituted  the  laws 
of  Kansas  prior  to  186h. 


416  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

"  I  cannot  now  tell  you  how  inharmonious,  incongruous 
and  confusing  were  the  laws  of  Kansas  prior  to  the  codifica- 
tion. Part  of  them  had  been  enacted  by  the  several  Terri- 
torial legislatures,  whose  principal  business  appears  to  have 
been  to  repeal  the  statutes  passed  by  every  previous  session 
since  the  bogus  Legislature  of  1855.  Part  of  the  laws  were 
the  work  of  State  Legislatures  attempting  the  hopeless  task 
of  moulding  Territorial  enactments  to  fit  conditions  under 
the  State  Constitution.  The  Territorial  and  State  laws  being 
framed  under  different  organic  charters,  preliminary  work 
by  experienced  lawyers,  like  the  codifying  commissioners,  was 
an  absolute  necessity  before  the  revision  could  be  undertaken 
by  even  the  most  earnest  and  enlightened  Legislature. 

"It  is  the  chief  glory  of  the  Legislature  of  1868  that  it 
set  itself  with  laborious  care  to  this  work,  and  neither  faltered 
nor  dallied  with  the  matters  at  hand.  It  is  not  uncommon 
for  Legislatures  to  authorize  commissions  to  codify  or  revise 
some  branch  of  statute  law,  but  we  have  all  seen  them  grow 
weary  of  the  task  of  reviewing  and  intelligently  passing  upon 
the  revisions  and  codifications  submitted  to  them  for  approval 
and  enactment.  The  most  conspicuous  example  of  this  was 
the  proposed  revision  of  the  laws  of  taxation.  In  1901  the 
Legislature,  like  several  of  its  immediate  predecessors,  recog- 
nized the  necessity  of  a  revision  of  the  laws  of  taxation,  and 
authorized  a  commission  to  sit  in  vacation  for  the  purpose  of 
framing  a  new  law  for  the  assessment  and  taxation  of  prop- 
erty. The  commission  accordingly,  after  most  laborious  re- 
search of  all  the  assessment  laws  of  the  American  States, 
submitted  a  Bill  to  the  Legislature  of  1903. 

Perhaps  is  was  not  perfect  — 

He   who   hopes   a  faultless   tax  to   see, 
Hopes  what  ne  'er  was,  is  not,  and  ne  'er  will  be. 

"  The  Legislature  of  1903  took  up  the  Bill,  criticized  it, 
amended  it,  botched  it,  quarrelled  over  it,  fussed  over  it, 
played  small  politics  with  it,  wasted  the  greater  part  of  the 
session  over  it,  and  then  dropped  it.  The  Legislature  of  1905 
never  touched  the  subject,  and  our  chaotic  system  of  taxation 
still  remains  and,  like  as  not,  it  will  continue  for  another 
decade. 

' '  Not  so  the  Legislature  of  1868.  It  set  to  work  and  grap- 
pled with  one  subject  after  another,  and  it  was  no  mere  ac- 


APPENDIX  417 

quiescence  in  the  work  of  the  commission,  either;  but  the 
Legislature  intelligently  examined,  discussed,  criticized  and 
amended  the  work  of  the  commissioners.  They  passed  the 
Bills ;  the  Governor  signed  them ;  they  became  the  law  of  the 
land ;  and  there  are  scores  of  these  laws  thus  passed  that  re- 
main on  the  statute-book,  thirty-eight  years  after,  without 
amendment,  and  are  to-day  in  no  more  danger  of  either 
amendment  or  repeal  than  the  ethics  of  the  sermon  on  the 
mount. 

' '  I  like  the  way  the  house  started  into  work  at  the  session 
of  1868.  There  were  no  exasperating  delays  while  the  speaker 
and  the  '  third  house  '  fixed  up  the  committees.  George  W. 
Smith,  of  Douglas  County,  was  elected  speaker.  On  taking  the 
gavel,  he  said: 

' '  '  The  business  of  the  Legislature  should  be  conducted  without  ref- 
erence to  party.  It  is  proper  that  parties  should  exist.  But  when  we 
meet  together  in  the  legislative  hall  for  the  purpose  of  passing  laws, 
we  ought  to  quell  all  political  feeling.  I  have  discovered  that  members 
sometimes  forget  that  they  have  taken  an  oath  to  discharge  their  duties 
as  members  of  the  Legislature,  particularly  on  political  questions.  The 
Eepublican  party  can  afford  to  be  generous,  and  I  hope  it  will  be  so, 
and  show  no  disposition  to  force  any  measures  on  the  minority  which 
may  be  wrong.  To  the  Democrats  I  will  say,  there  may  be  hope  for 
them.  I  would  say,  in  the  language  of  the  Scripture,  "Fear  not,  little 
flock,  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom.' 
But  it  will  require  you  to  act  honestly  in  the  discharge  of  your  duties. 
I  have  heard  that  there  have  been  boasts  made  that  you  liave  the  eon- 
trolling  vote.  It  is  all  proper,  when  political  questions  come  up  (which 
I  hope  will  not  during  this  session),  that  you  should  use  your  votes 
for  the  purpose  of  controlling  them.  But  you  must  recollect  that  you 
have  also  taken  an  oath  to  discharge  your  duties  to  the  best  of  your 
ability. ' 

' '  Let  it  be  noted  that  the  House  met  at  noon,  January  14, 
The  organization  was  completed,  the  Governor's  Message  read 
and  referred  to  a  special  committee  for  appropriate  sub- 
division among  the  standing  committees,  by  January  16.  On 
January  17  the  speaker  announced  all  the  standing  commit- 
tees, and  the  business  of  the  session  was  under  way.  That  the 
Speaker  practised  what  he  preached  in  repressing  politics  is 
demonstrated  by  his  appointment  of  George  "W.  Glick,  the 
foremost  Democrat  in  Kansas  for  a  generation,  as  chairman 
of  the  judiciary  committee  —  a  committee  which  in  a  session 
to  be  dedicated  to  constructive  legislation  was  bound  to  be 
preeminently  the  principal  committee  of  the  House.  Preston 
B.  Plumb,  also  a  committeeman  of  the  judiciary,  was  chair- 


418  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

man  of  the  committee  on  railroads,  and  that  committee  in 
1868  devoted  most  of  its  time  to  encouraging  legislation  cal- 
culated to  bring  railroads  and  railroad  builders  and  railroad 
investors  to  Kansas.  That  eminence  and  distinction  in  pub- 
lic life  were  to  be  achieved  by  '  busting  the  railroads  '  and 
crying  down  the  rapacity  of  corporate  influences  and  railroad 
greed,  seems  to  have  been  entirely  overlooked  by  the  solons  of 
1868. 

"  The  work  of  the  codifying  commissioners  was  taken  up 
without  delay.  The  judiciary  committee  did  not  arrogate  to 
itself  the  latter-day  prerogative  of  passing  on  the  merits  of 
every  bill  submitted  to  it.  It  examined  a  multitude  of  them 
merely  as  to  their  legal  sufficiency,  and  then  reported  them 
with  the  recommendation  that  they  be  referred  to  other  ap- 
propriate committees  as  to  the  wisdom  of  the  subject-matter. 
Of  course,  in  a  session  devoted  to  the  revision  and  codifica- 
tion of  the  laws  of  the  State,  a  vast  amount  of  work  fell  to  the 
judiciary  committee  which  could  not  in  the  nature  of  things 
be  profitably  referred  elsewhere. 

"  Let  me  briefly  run  over  the  list  of  subjects  considered 
and  enacted  into  law  by  the  session  of  1868.  These  were  the 
laws  of  apprentices;  assignments;  attorneys  at  law;  bonds, 
notes  and  bills;  bonds  and  warrants;  commissioners  to  take 
depositions;  contracts  and  promises;  conveyances;  corpora- 
tions ;  county  boundaries ;  counties  and  county  officers ;  county- 
seats;  courts  —  supreme,  district  and  probate;  crimes  and 
punishments;  damages  against  cities;  descents  and  distribu- 
tions; elections;  executors  and  administrators;  exemptions; 
fees  and  salaries ;  fences ;  ferries ;  frauds  and  perjuries ;  fugi- 
tives from  justice;  guardians  and  wards;  illegitimate  chil- 
dren; impeachment;  jails;  jurors;  landlords  and  tenants; 
laws  and  legislative  journals ;  lunatics  and  drunkards ;  married 
women  and  their  rights ;  minors ;  mortgages ;  notaries  public ; 
oaths ;  pardons ;  partnerships ;  plats  of  cities  and  towns ;  pro- 
cedure—  civil;  procedure  —  criminal;  procedure  —  civil,  be- 
fore justices;  procedure  —  in  misdemeanors,  before  justices; 
statutory  construction;  stock;  town  sites;  townships  and 
township  officers;  trespassers;  fiduciary  trusts  and  powers; 
wills. 

' '  Only  two  important  subjects  were  laid  over  for  another 
session  —  schools  and  taxation.  These  remained  in  confusion 
until  1876,  when  another  of  the  more  important  legislative 


APPENDIX  419 

sessions  of  Kansas  considered  them  at  length,  and  the  enact- 
ments of  1876  form  the  basis  of  existing  laws  on  those  subjects. 
But  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  these  two  subjects  were  not 
touched  by  the  master  hand  of  the  Legislature  of  1868.  Of 
the  long  roll  to  its  credit,  however,  much  remains  the  law  in 
Kansas  to-day  without  so  much  as  a  single  amendment,  and 
where  changes  have  been  made  they  have  not  always  been 
for  the  better.  Legislative  tinkering  is  greatly  to  be  decried. 
How  often  have  we  observed  that  the  whole  scope  and  pur- 
pose of  a  useful  and  valuable  law  is'  crippled  by  the  subse- 
quent enactment  of  a  well-meant  amendment  secured  by  some 
lawmaker  who  had  failed  to  consider  the  whole  range  of  the 
subject  with  which  he  was  tinkering.  Nothing  like  omnis- 
cience or  prescience  is  claimed  for  the  session  of  1868,  how- 
ever; but  the  fact  remains  that  if  every  Legislature  that  has 
since  convened  had  contented  itself  with  passing  the  neces- 
sary revenue  bills  and  the  periodic  apportionments  required 
by  the  Constitution,  the  commonwealth  would  have  lived, 
flourished  and  prospered  under  the  beneficent  laws  of  1868. 

'  The  law  of  descents  and  distributions,  whereby  a  man's 
property  passes  without  a  will  to  those  who  are  most  entitled 
to  his  bounty,  is  still  the  law  of  this  State,  with  only  two  in- 
significant amendments. 

"  The  law  of  executors  and  administrators,  where  occu- 
pies some  thirty-five  pages  of  the  General  Statutes  of  1901, 
has  stood  the  test  of  thirty-eight  years'  practical  operation 
with  a  scant  half-dozen  changes. 

"  The  laws  of  exemptions,  conceived  in  the  days  when 
Kansas  and  its  people  were  poor,  is  still  the  law  in  our  day  of 
opulence,  and  if  its  necessity  has  largely  passed,  the  reverence 
of  the  sons  for  this  wisdom  of  the  fathers  has  saved  this  hu- 
manitarian law  from  the  iconoclastic  hand  of  ambitious 
innovation. 

"  The  statute  of  frauds,  time-tried  before  Kansas  was 
born,  remains  untouched. 

1 '  Only  slight  changes  have  been  made  in  the  law  of  guard- 
ian and  wards. 

"  Kansas,  with  her  glorious  allodial  land  system  where  the 
troubles  of  landlords  and  tenants  have  never  given  the  State 
concern,  as  in  less  favored  portions  of  the  earth,  has  found 
the  landlord  and  tenant  act  of  1868  sufficient  for  almost  every 
circumstance. 


420  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

"  The  law  of  married  women  was  framed  for  the  enlight- 
ened age  of  the  present,  and  nothing  of  the  dead  past,  when 
woman  was  a  chattel,  is  contained  in  its  sacred  sections.  It 
bids  fair  to  remain  untouched  while  Kansas  endures. 

"  The  codes  of  procedure  were  drawn  from  the  most  en- 
lightened ideas  of  a  procedure-reforming  age,  and  have  worked 
out  an  approximate  justice  between  man  and  man.  They 
have,  of  course,  been  changed  in  details  with  operative  ex- 
perience. Code-making  and  code-division  are  still  going  on, 
and  are  bound  to  continue  for  many  years.  Indeed,  it  is 
doubtful  if  court  procedure  will  ever  crystallize,  as  it  did,  and 
remained  for  generations  as  common  law. 

"  But  I  must  bear  in  mind  that  this  is  a  miscellaneous 
audience,  interested  in  history,  and  it  would  trench  both  upon 
your  patience  and  upon  the  occasion  should  I  run  this  address 
into  a  lecture  on  law. 

"  The  law  of  wills,  which  occupied  ten  full  pages  of  the 
general  statutes,  has  scarcely  been  touched  through  all  the 
years  since  its  enactment. 

"  Perhaps  enough  has  been  said  to  demonstrate  that  the 
Legislature  of  1868  was  the  greatest  that  ever  convened  in 
Kansas,  and  that  other  Legislatures  have  been  great,  and  in 
the  future  will  be  great,  just  in  the  measure  in  which  they 
approach  their  problems  with  the  spirit  and  abiding  purpose 
of  the  session  of  1868.  .  .  . 

"  The  local  bills  of  that  session  were  few;  the  times  gave 
little  token  of  the  deluge  of  petty  bills  which  came  with  after- 
years  and  which  necessitated  the  Constitutional  amendment 
of  1906  pertaining  thereto. 

"  As  early  as  1868  the  extravagant  and  senseless  practice 
of  scattering  the  State  institutions  at  various  places  far  dis- 
tant from  the  State  capital  was  foreseen,  and  a  strong  spirit 
of  retrenchment  and  reform  was  manifest;  but  local  self-in- 
terest was  even  then  too  strong  to  correct  the  expensive  system. 
The  proposed  concentration  of  State  institutions  was  voted 
down,  and  has  never  since  been  a  subject  of  feasible  under- 
taking. 

"  On  one  point  the  wisdom  of  the  fathers  has  come  to 
naught.  In  1868  it  was  confidently  believed  and  frequently 
expressed  that  a  day  was  speedily  coming  when  the  endow- 
ment funds  of  the  State  University,  the  State  Normal  School, 
and  the  State  Agricultural  School,  realized  from  the  sale  of 


APPENDIX  421 

land-grants,  would  amply  sustain  these  institutions.     Gover- 
nor Crawford,  in  his  Message,  expresses  this  confidence : 

"  '  It  is  sincerely  to  be  hoped  that  such  of  our  State  institutions  as 
have  been  generously  endowed  from  the  public  domain  will  soon  be 
able  to  dispense  with  the  aid  drawn  from  the  treasury.' 

' '  It  would  add  little  to  this  address  to  attempt  to  draw  a 
moral  from  the  Legislature  of  1868.  And  yet  the  lesson  is 
there.  The  Legislature  which  will  conscientiously  apply  it- 
self to  the  improvement  of  existing  law  will  serve  the  State 
better  and  establish  a  work  more  enduring  than  one  which 
devotes  itself  to  the  passage  of  a  few  spectacular,  evanescent 
bills  which,  when  fickle  opinion  passes  on  to  other  matters  of 
like  transient  interest,  will  lie  and  rust  in  the  limbo  of  for- 
gotten uselessness. 

11  I  lay  great  stress  on  the  Constitutional  amendment  of 
1906  relating  to  special  legislation.  It  will  give  the  Legisla- 
ture time  to  revise  and  perfect  existing  general  laws.  And 
many  of  them  badly  need  perfecting.  The  school  law,  the 
school-land  law,  the  bridge  law,  the  law  of  municipal  indebt- 
edness, the  law  of  taxation,  and  many  others,  need  the  same 
laborious  and  prayerful  consideration  that  was  given  to  the 
great  codes  and  statutes  promulgated  in  1868.  It  is  time  we 
had  another  commission  to  revise,  rewrite,  and  codify  all  the 
laws  of  the  State.  It  will  be  forty  years  since  the  last  codifi- 
cation before  it  can  be  enacted,  even  if  the  coming  Legislature 
of  1907  should  authorize  its  creation.  And  when  the  codifica- 
tion comes,  let  us  hope  that  men  of  the  rank  of  Price,  Biggs, 
and  McCahon  will  prepare  the  codification,  and  that  patriots 
like  the  legislators  of  1868  will  compose  the  assembly  which 
will  enact  it  into  law. ' ' 

CALL  FOR  STATE  TROOPS,  SEPTEMBER  10,  1868 
PROCLAMATION 

STATE  OF  KANSAS,  EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 

TOPEKA,  September  14,  1868. 

The  recent  acts  of  atrocity  perpetrated  by  hostile  Indians 
upon  citizens  of  Kansas,  with  other  accumulating  circum- 
stances, indicate  with  unerring  certainty  that  a  general  In- 
dian war  is  inevitable.  The  United  States  forces  in  this  de- 
partment are  too  few  in  number  to  answer  the  emergency, 


422  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

and  the  appeals  of  our  frontier  settlers  for  protection  and  re- 
dress cannot  with  honor  be  disregarded. 

The  undersigned,  therefore,  hereby  calls  into  active  serv- 
ice, for  a  period  of  three  months,  unless  sooner  discharged, 
five  companies  of  cavalry,  to  be  organized  from  the  militia  of 
the  State,  for  service  upon  the  border.  Each  man  will  be  re- 
quired to  furnish  his  own  horse ;  but  arms,  accoutrements  and 
rations  will  be  furnished  by  Major  General  Sheridan.  One 
company,  to  be  recruited  in  the  Republican  Valley,  will  ren- 
dezvous at  Ayersburg;  one  company  will  rendezvous  at  Sa- 
lina;  one  company  at  Topeka;  one  company  at  Fort  Harker; 
and  the  remaining  company  at  Marion  Centre. 

Recruiting  officers  will  be  designated  for  each  company, 
and  when  notice  of  the  organization  of  a  company  shall  have 
been  received,  the  men  will  be  mustered  and  company  officers 
appointed.  Each  company  will  consist  of  not  less  than  eighty 
(80)  nor  more  than  one  hundred  (100)  enlisted  men. 

As  the  State  has  no  fund  at  present  from  which  the  men 
hereby  called  into  service  can  be  paid,  it  is  expressly  under- 
stood that  all  claims  for  service  must  await  the  action  of  the 
Legislature. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Governor. 

ROSTER  OF  OFFICERS,  FRONTIER  BATTALION, 

1868 

MAJOR 

George  B.  Jenness 

COMPANY  A 

S.  J.  Jennings Captain 

J.  F.  DeLong First  Lieutenant 

W.  A.  Loveoy Second  Lieutenant 

COMPANY  B 

H.  D.  Baker Captain 

Julius  A.  Case First  Lieutenant 

Alex.  K.  Pierce  Second  Lieutenant 

COMPANY  c 

B.  C.  Sanders  Captain 

Gilman  D.  Brooks First  Lieutenant 

Herod  Johnson  .      , Second  Lieutenant 


APPENDIX  423 

COMPANY  D 

A.  J.  Armstrong Captain 

D.  L.  Eby First  Lieutenant 

G.  Moulton Second  Lieutenant 

COMPANY  E 

J.  A.  Potts Captain 

Albert  Schaltenbrand First  Lieutenant 

Henry  Spaulding Second  Lieutenant 


CHEROKEE  TREATY  OF  1868 

Supplemental  article  to  a  treaty  concluded  at  Washington 
City,  July  19th,  A.  D,  1866;  ratified  with  amendments 
July  27th,  A.  D.  1866;  amendments  accepted,  July  31st, 
A.  D.  1866 ;  and  the  whole  proclaimed,  August  llth,  A.  D. 
1866,  between  the  United  States  of  America  and  the  Chero- 
kee Nation  of  Indians. 

Whereas  under  the  provisions  of  the  seventeenth  article 
of  a  treaty  and  amendments  thereto  made  between  the  United 
States  and  the  Cherokee  Nation  of  Indians,  and  proclaimed 
August  llth,  A.  D.  1866,  a  contract  was  made  and  entered 
into  by  James  Harlan,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  on  behalf  of 
the  United  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  by  the  American  Emi- 
grant Company,  a  corporation  chartered  and  existing  under 
the  laws  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  of  the  other  part,  dated 
August  30th.  A.  D.  1866,  for  the  sale  of  the  so-called  ' '  Chero- 
kee neutral  lands,"  in  the  State  of  Kansas,  containing  eight 
hundred  thousand  acres,  more  or  less,  with  the  limitations  and 
restrictions  set  forth  in  the  said  seventeenth  article  of  said 
treaty  as  amended,  on  the  terms  and  conditions  therein  men- 
tioned, which  contract  is  now  on  file  in  the  Department  of  the 
Interior;  and 

Whereas  Orville  H.  Browning,  Secretary  of  the  Interior, 
regarding  said  sale  as  illegal  and  not  in  conformity  with  said 
treaty  and  amendments  thereto,  did,  on  the  ninth  day  of  Octo- 
ber, A.  D.  1867  for  and  in  behalf  of  the  United  States,  enter 
into  a  contract  with  James  F.  Joy,  of  the  city  of  Detroit,  Mich- 
igan, for  the  sale  of  the  aforesaid  lands  on  the  terms  and  con- 
ditions in  said  contract  set  forth,  and  which  is  on  file  in  the 
Department  of  the  Interior ;  and 


424  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

Whereas,  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  the  Secretary  of  the 
Interior,  as  trustee  for  the  Cherokee  Nation  of  Indians,  to 
collect  the  proceeds  of  sales  of  said  lands  and  invest  the  same 
for  the  benefit  of  said  Indians,  and  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
venting litigation  and  of  harmonizing  the  conflicting  interests 
of  the  said  American  Emigrant  Company  and  of  the  said 
James  F.  Joy,  it  is  the  desire  of  all  parties  in  interest  that  the 
said  American  Emigrant  Company  shall  assign  their  said  con- 
tract and  all  their  right,  title,  claim,  and  interest  in  and  to  the 
said  ' '  Cherokee  neutral  lands  ' '  to  the  said  James  F.  Joy,  and 
that  the  said  Joy  shall  assume  and  conform  to  all  the  obliga- 
tions of  said  company  under  their  said  contract,  as  herein- 
after modified : 

It  is,  therefore,  agreed,  by  and  between  Nathaniel  G.  Tay- 
lor, commissioner  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, and  Lewis  Downing,  H.  D.  Reese,  Win.  P.  Adair,  Elias  C. 
Boudinot,  J.  A.  Scales,  Archie  Scraper,  J.  Porum  Davis,  and 
Samuel  Smith,  commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  Cherokee 
Nation  of  Indians,  that  an  assignment  of  the  contract  made 
and  entered  into  on  the  30th  day  of  August,  A.  D.  1866,  by 
and  between  James  Harlan,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  for  and 
in  behalf  of  the  United  States  of  America,  of  the  one  part, 
and  in  behalf  of  the  American  Emigrant  Company,  a  corpora- 
tion chartered  and  existing  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of 
Connecticut,  of  the  other  part,  and  now  on  file  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Interior,  to  James  F.  Joy,  of  the  city  of  Detroit, 
Michigan,  shall  be  made;  and  that  said  contract,  as  herein- 
after modified,  be  and  the  same  is  hereby,  with  the  consent  of 
all  parties,  reaffirmed  and  declared  valid;  and  that  the  con- 
tract entered  into  by  and  between  Orville  H.  Browning,  for 
and  in  behalf  of  the  United  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  James 
F.  Joy,  of  the  city  of  Detroit,  Michigan,  of  the  other  part,  on 
the  9th  day  of  October,  A.  D.  1867,  and  now  on  file  in  the  De- 
partment of  the  Interior,  shall  be  relinquished  and  cancelled 
by  the  said  James  F.  Joy,  or  his  duly  authorized  agent  or  at- 
torney ;  and  the  said  first  contract  as  hereinafter  modified,  and 
the  assignment  of  the  first  contract,  and  the  relinquishment  of 
the  second  shall  be  entered  of  record  in  the  Department  of  the 
Interior ;  and  when  the  said  James  F.  Joy  shall  have  accepted 
said  assignment  and  shall  have  entered  into  a  contract  with 
the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  to  assume  and  perform  all  obli- 
gations of  the  said  American  Emigrant  Company  under  said 
first-named  contract,  as  hereinafter  modified. 


APPENDIX  425 

The  modifications  hereinbefore  mentioned  of  said  contract 
are  hereby  declared  to  be :  — 

1.  That  within  ten  days  from  the  ratification  of  this  sup- 
plemental article  the  sum  of  seventy-five  thousand  dollars 
shall  be  paid  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  as  trustee  for  the 
Cherokee  Nation  of  Indians. 

2.  That  the  other  deferred  payments  specified  in  said  con- 
tract shall  be  paid  when  they  respectively  fall  due,  with  in- 
terest only  from  the  date  of  the  ratification  hereof. 

It  is  further  agreed  and  distinctly  understood  that  under 
the  conveyance  of  the  "  Cherokee  nautral  lands  "  to  the  said 
American  Emigrant  Company,  "  with  all  beneficial  interests 
therein,"  as  set  forth  in  said  contract,  the  said  company  and 
their  assignees  shall  take  only  the  residue  of  said  lands  after 
securing  to  ' '  actual  settlers  ' '  the  lands  to  which  they  are  en- 
titled under  the  provisions  of  the  seventeenth  article  and 
amendments  thereto  of  the  said  Cherokee  treaty  of  August 
llth,  1866 ;  and  that  the  proceeds  of  the  sales  of  said  lands, 
so  occupied  at  the  date  of  said  treaty  by  "  actual  settlers," 
shall  enure  to  the  sole  benefit  of,  and  be  retained  by,  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Interior  as  trustee  for  the  said  Cherokee  Nation  of 
Indians. 

In  testimony  whereof,  the  said  commissioners  on  the  part 
of  the  United  States,  and  on  the  part  of  the  Cherokee  Nation  of 
Indians,  have  hereunto  set  their  hands  and  seals,  at  the  city 
of  Washington,  this  27th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1868. 

N.  G.  TAYLOR, 
Commissioner  in  behalf  of  the  United  States. 

Delegates  of  the  Cherokee  Nation : 

LEWIS  DOWNING, 

Chief  of  Cherokees. 
H.  D.  REESE, 
Chairman  of  Delegation. 
SAMUEL  SMITH, 
WM.  P.  AD  AIR, 
J.  P.  DAVIS, 
ELIAS  C.  BOUDINOT, 
J.  A.  SCALES, 
ARCH.  SCRAPER, 

Cherokee  Delegates. 
In  presence  of  — 
H.  M.  WATTERSON, 
CHARLES  E.  Mix. 


426  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

CALL  FOR  STATE  TROOPS,  OCTOBER  10,  1868 
PROCLAMATION 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
TOPEKA,  October  10,  1868. 

"With  scarcely  an  exception,  all  the  tribes  of  Indians  on 
the  plains  in  Kansas  or  contiguous  thereto,  have  taken  up 
arms  against  the  Government,  and  are  now  engaged  in  acts 
of  hostility.  The  peace  of  the  exposed  border  is  thereby  dis- 
turbed, quiet  and  unoffending  citizens  driven  from  their 
homes,  or  ruthlessly  murdered,  and  their  property  destroyed 
or  carried  away.  In  fact  children  have  been  carried  into  cap- 
tivity, and  in  many  instances  barbarously  murdered;  while 
many  women  have  been  repeatedly  violated  in  the  presence 
of  their  husbands  and  families. 

Besides  these  instances  of  individual  suffering,  great  pub- 
lic interests  are  being  crippled  and  destroyed  by  this  savage 
hostility.  The  commerce  of  the  plains  is  entirely  suspended. 
The  mail  routes,  and  the  great  lines  of  travel  to  the  Terri- 
tories and  States  beyond  us,  are  constantly  being  blockaded, 
and  are  sometimes  completely  closed  for  the  space  of  several 
days. 

Longer  to  forbear  with  these  bloody  fiends  would  be  a 
crime  against  civilization,  and  against  the  peace,  security, 
and  lives  of  all  the  people  upon  the  frontier.  The  time  has 
come  when  they  must  be  met  by  an  adequate  force,  not  only 
to  prevent  the  repetition  of  these  outrages,  but  to  penetrate 
their  haunts,  break  up  their  organizations,  and  either  ex- 
terminate the  tribes,  or  confine  them  upon  reservations  set 
apart  for  their  occupancy.  To  this  end  the  Major-General 
commanding  this  department  has  called  upon  the  Executive 
for  a  regiment  of  cavalry  from  this  State. 

Now,  therefore,  I,  Samuel  J.  Crawford,  Governor  of  the 
State  of  Kansas,  do  call  for  volunteers  from  the  militia  of  the 
State,  to  the  number  set  forth  in  the  foregoing  letter  from 
Major-General  Sheridan,  to  be  mustered  into  the  service  of 
the  United  States,  and  to  serve  for  a  period  of  six  months,  un- 
less sooner  discharged.  It  is  desirable  that  the  regiment  shall 
be  organized  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  and  with  this 
view  recruiting  officers  will  be  appointed  in  various  portions 
of  the  State.  The  Adjutant  General  will  issue  the  necessary 
orders  to  carry  this  proclamation  into  effect. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD,  Governor. 


APPENDIX  427 

THANKSGIVING  PROCLAMATION,  NOVEMBER  4,  1868 
PROCLAMATION 

EXECUTIVE  OFFICE, 
TOPEKA,  KAN.,  November  4,  1868. 

An  immemorial  custom  devolves  upon  the  Executive  the 
duty  of  setting  apart  one  day  to  be  observed  by  all  the  people 
of  the  State  as  a  day  of  Thanksgiving  for  mercies  past,  and  of 
Prayer  for  the  continuance  of  divine  favor. 

The  measure  of  prosperity  accorded  to  us  has  been  over- 
flowing. Although  in  some  localises  the  usual  fruits  of  the 
earth  have  been  partially  withheld,  our  general  harvests  have 
been  abundant.  The  remote  frontier  has  been  harassed  by 
predatory  bands  of  hostile  Indians,  and  shocking  outrages 
have  been  perpetrated  upon  the  persons  and  property  of  the 
frontier  settlers.  With  this  exception,  universal  peace  has 
prevailed  throughout  our  borders. 

During  the  year  the  area  of  development  has  been  widely 
extended.  Our  population  has  increased  with  unexampled 
rapidity.  Every  department  of  industry  has  been  vigorously 
promoted  and  advanced.  Labor  has  met  its  just  reward; 
commerce  has  returned  fruitful  gains;  and  law,  order,  and 
personal  security  have  distinguished  our  society. 

It  is  meet  and  proper  that,  as  a  people,  we  acknowledge 
our  gratitude  to  Almighty  God  for  all  these  blessings,  and 
our  entire  dependence  upon  Him  for  every  moral  and  civil 
safeguard  which  gives  protection  to  the  citizen  and  glory  to 
the  Commonwealth. 

Now,  therefore,  I,  Samuel  J.  Crawford,  Governor  of  the 
State  of  Kansas,  in  pursuance  of  a  time-honored  custom,  do 
designate 

THURSDAY,  NOVEMBER  26,   1868, 

as  a  day  of  thanksgiving  and  prayer. 

And  I  do  earnestly  commend  to  all  the  people  of  the  State 
that  upon  said  day  they  suspend  their  ordinary  avocations, 
and  mutually  return  thanks  to  the  Father  of  all  for  his  benefi- 
cent guidance.  Let  us  also  invoke  His  favor  for  the  future, 
praying  that  permanent  peace  may  be  brought  to  our  borders ; 
that  our  resources  may  be  further  developed ;  that  we  may  be 
enabled  justly  to  pride  ourselves  upon  a  faithful  administra- 
tion of  just  laws,  and  upon  institutions  which  are  without 
reproach. 


428  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and 
caused  the  great  seal  of  the  State  to  be  affixed,  the  day  and 
year  first  above  written. 

S.  J.  CRAWFORD, 

Governor. 


ROSTER  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  KANSAS  CAVALRY 

FIELD,  STAFF,  AND  LINE  OFFICERS 

MUSTERED  INTO  UNITED  STATES  SERVICE  OCTOBER  29,  1868. 
MUSTERED  OUT  AND  DISCHARGED  APRIL  18,  1869. 

Colonel  Samuel  J.  Crawford,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Col. 

Nov.  4,  1868;  resigned  Feb.  12,  1869. 
Colonel  Horace  L.  Moore,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  Lieut.-Col ; 

pro.  Col.  Mar.  23,  1869. 
Lieutenant- Colonel  Horace  L.  Moore,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

Lieut.-Col.  Mar.  23,  1869.  ' 
Lieutenant-Colonel  William  C.  Jones,  lola;  mustered  in  as 

Major;  pro.  Lieut.-Col.  Mar.  23,  1869. 
Major  William  C.  Jones,  lola;  mustered  in  as  Major;  pro. 

Lieut.-Col. ;  pro.  Col.  Mar.  23,  1869. 
Major  Charles  Dimon,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt.  Co.  G; 

pro.  Major  Oct.  20,  1868. 

Major  Richard  W.  Jenkins,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  Major. 
Major  Milton  Stewart,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt.  Co.  K; 

pro.  Major  Mar.  23,  1869. 

Surgeon  Mahlon  Bailey,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  Surgeon. 
Assistant  Surgeon  Ezra  P.  Russell,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

Ass  't  Surgeon. 
Assistant  Surgeon  Robert  Aikman,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

Ass  't  Surgeon. 

Adjutant  James  W.  Steele,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  Adjutant. 
Quartermaster  Luther  A.  Thrasher,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

Quartermaster. 

Commissary  John  Johnston,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Com- 
missary. 
Sergeant-Major  George  G.  Gunning,  Leaven  worth;  mustered 

in  as  pvt. ;  pro.  1st  Sergt.  Oct.  28,  1868 ;  pro.  Sergt.-Maj. 

Nov.  12,  1868. 


APPENDIX  429 

Sergeant-Major  John  G.  Kay,  Junction  City;  mustered  in  as 
pvt. ;  pro.  Sergt.  Jan.  1,  1869;  pro.  Sergt.-Maj.  April  8, 
1869. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant  Francis  M.  Brown,  Topeka;  mus- 
tered in  as  pvt. ;  pro.  Q.  M.  Sergt.  Dec.  29,  1868. 

Commissary  Sergeant  William  Mather,  Topeka;  mustered  in 
as  pvt. ;  pro.  Com.  Sergt.  Dec.  29,  1868. 

Hospital  Steward  Gamaliel  J.  Lund,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 
Hospital  Steward. 

Chief  Bugler  William  Gruber,  Leavenworth;  mustered  in  as 
pvt. ;  pro.  bugler  Oct.  28,  1868 ;  pro.  chief  bugler  Nov. 
13,  1868. 

Chief  Bugler  Enoch  Collett,  Franklin ;  mustered  in  as  pvt. ; 
pro.  bugler  Oct.  28,  1868 ;  pro.  chief  bugler  Mar.  6,  1869. 

Veterinary  Surgeon  George  Davidson,  Topeka;  mustered  in 
as  pvt. ;  pro.  Vet.  Surg.  Dec.  3,  1868. 

COMPANY  A 

Captain  Allison  J.  Pliley,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt.  Oct. 

20,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  Benj.  D.  Wilson,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  1st 

Lt.  Oct.  20,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  Raleigh  C.  Powell,  Topeka ;  resigned,  and 

res.  accepted  Jan.  5,  1869. 
Second  Lieutenant  Joseph  Beacock,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

2nd  Lt.  Mar.  23,  1869. 

COMPANY  B 

Captain  Charles  E.  Reck,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt.  Oct. 

23,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  Henry  H.  McCollister,  Topeka ;  mustered  in 

as  1st  Lt.  Oct.  28,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  Charles  H.  Champney,  Topeka;  mustered 

in  as  2nd  Lt.  Oct.  23,  1868. 

COMPANY  C 

Captain  Charles  P.  Twiss,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt.  Oct. 

26,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  Walter  J.  Dallas,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

1st  Lt.  Oct.  26,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  Jesse  E.  Parsons,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as 

2nd  Lt.  Oct.  26,  1868. 


430  KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 

COMPANY  D 

Captain  John  Q.  A.  Norton,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt. 

Oct.  26,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  John  S.  Edie,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  1st  Lt. 

Oct.  26,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  Charles  H.  Hoyt,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as 

2nd  Lt.  Oct.  26,  1868. 

COMPANY  E 

Captain  Thomas  J.  Darling,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt. 

Oct.  26,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  Win.  B.  Bidwell,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  1st 

Lt.  Oct.  26,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  Charles  T.  Brady,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as 

2nd  Lt.  Nov.  7,  1868. 

COMPANY  F 

Captain  George  B.  Jenness,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt. 

Nov.  4,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  DeWitt  C.  Jenness,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as 

1st   Lt.  Oct.  27,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  John  Fellows,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  2nd 

Lt.  Oct.  27, 1868. 

COMPANY  G 

Captain  Charles  Dimon,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  Capt. ;  pro. 

Maj.  Oct.  30,  1868. 
Captain  Richard  D.  Lender,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  1st  Lt. ; 

pro.  Capt.  Nov.  4,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  Richard  D.  Lender,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

1st   Lt. ;  pro.  Capt.  Nov.  4,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  Myron  A.  Wood,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  2nd 

Lt. ;  pro.  1st  Lt.  Nov.  4,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  Myron  A.  Wood,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

2nd  Lt. ;  pro  1st.  Lt.  Nov.  4,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  Henry  C.  Litchfield,  Topeka;  mustered  in 

as  pvt. ;  pro.  2nd.  Lt.  Nov.  4,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  James  W.  Brown,  Fort  Scott ;  mustered  in 

as  pvt. ;  pro.  1st  Sergt.  Oct.  30,  1868 ;  pro.  2nd  Lt.  Mar.  23, 

1869. 


APPENDIX  431 

COMPANY  H 

Captain  David  L.  Payne,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt.  Oct. 

29,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  Mount  A.  Gordon,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

1st  Lt.  Oct.  29,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  Robert  M.  Steele,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as 

2nd  Lt.  October  29,  1868. 

COMPANY  I 

Captain  Roger  A.  Ellsworth,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt. 

Oct.  29,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  James  J.  Clancy,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

1st  Lt.  Oct.  29,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  James  M.  May,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

2nd  Lt.  Oct.  29,  1868. 

COMPANY  K 

Captain  Milton  Stewart,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  Capt. ;  pro. 

Maj.  Mar.  23,  1869. 
Captain  Emmet  Ryus,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  1st  Lt. ;  pro. 

Capt.  Mar.  23,  1869. 
First  Lieutenant  Emmet  Ryus,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  1st 

Lt. ;  pro.  Capt.  Mar.  23,  1869. 
First  Lieutenant  Charles  H.  Hallett,  Topeka;  mustered  in 

as  2nd  Lt. ;  pro.  1st  Lt.  Mar.  23,  1869. 
Second  Lieutenant  Charles  H.  Hallett,  Topeka;  mustered  in 

as  2nd  Lt. ;  pro.  1st  Lt.  Mar.  23,  1869. 
Second  Lieutenant  Robert  I.  Sharp,  Manhattan ;  mustered  in 

as  pvt. ;  pro.  1st  Sergt.  Dec.  21,  1868 ;  pro.  2nd  Lt.  March, 

23,  1869. 

COMPANY  L 

Captain  Charles  H.  Finch,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as  Capt.  Oct. 

29,  1868. 
First  Lieutenant  Henry  E.  Stoddard,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

1st  Lt.  Oct.  29,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  Winfield  S.  Tilton,  Topeka ;  mustered  in  as 

2nd   Lt.  Oct.  29,  1868. 

COMPANY  M 

Captain  Sargent  Moody,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  Capt.  Oct. 
29,  1868. 


KANSAS  IN  THE  SIXTIES 


First  Lieutenant  James  Graham,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as  1st 

Lt.  Oct.  29,  1868. 
Second  Lieutenant  James  P.  Hurst,  Topeka;  mustered  in  as 

2nd  Lt.  October  29,  1868. 


INDEX* 


Abrams,  A.  W.,  363,  365,  366 
Adams,  Captain,  and  bis  command 

167 

Adams,  F.  G.,  200 
American  Emigrant  Company,  308- 

311,  314 

Anderson  County,  2,  8 
Anderson,  G.  W.,  241 
Anderson,  M.,  306 
Anderson,  Major   T.  J.,  134,  207, 

208,  240,  246;  and  Mrs.  Ander- 
son, 241 
Andrews,  Lieut.-Col.,  and  the  Third 

Brigade,  28,  30,  31 
Anthony,  Susan  B.,  196 
Arickaree,  battle  of  the,  293 
Armes,  Captain,  and  his  command, 

260-262 

Arthur,  J.  M.,  5 
Atchison,  David,  16 
Atchison,  Topeka    and    Santa    Fe 

Railroad,  356-358 
Augur,  Gen.  C.  C.,  265 
Ayers,  Captain,  58 

Babcock,  C.  W.,  23 

Bailey,  Judge,  238-240,  242,  244 

Baker,  Capt.,  298 

Baker,  T.  H.,  244 

Ballard,  D.  E.,  208,  246 

Ballard,  Lieut.,  59 

Bankhead,  Col.,  296 

Banks,  A.  E.,  19 

Banks,  General,  109,  112,  114 

Barker,  Captain,  260,  261 

Barker,  B.  A.,  200,  306 

Barker,  Sergeant,  58 

Bartholow,  E.  M.,  243 

Barton,  J.  T.,  6 


Bassett,  Lieut.-Col.,  54,  56,  58,  69, 

74,  88,  91 
Bates,  Col.,  28 
Battle  flags,  233 
Beck,  Eobt.,  22 
Beecher,  Lieut.,  293,  294 
Bell,  John,  18 
Beman,  H.  T.,  208 
Benteen,  Colonel,  159-162,  164,  173, 

174,  176 

Benton,  Colonel,  125 
Black  Flag,  Confederate  policy  of 

the,  102,  106,  108,  117,  121,  126 
Blair,  Lieut.-Col.   Charles  W.,   22, 

37,   38,   143,   145,  148,   153-155, 

157,  159,  301-303;  (Gen.)  306 
Blair,  Major,  91 

Blinn,  Mrs.,  and  child,  Indian  cap- 
tives, 325,  326,  332 

Blood,  Jas.,  6 

Blood,  N.  C.,  6 

"  Bloody  Crossing,  "52 

Blunt,  General,  and  his  command, 
54-63,  68,  69,  71-87,  90,  91,  95- 
99,  138,  141-143,  146,  148-154, 

158,  168,  172,  173,  176,  177,  202 
Blunt,  Jas.  G.,  6 

Boonsboro  and  Cove  Creek,  engage- 
ment at,  62 

Boston  Mountains,  battle  of  the. 
72 

Bowker,  W.  E.,  200 

Bowman,  Capt.,  200 

Brant,  E.  C.,  22 

Breckenridge,  John  C.,  18,  194 

Bridgens,  T.,  201 

Brown,  General  E.  B.,  140 

Brown,  Fred,  6 

Brown,  John,  16 


*  The  Legislative  rolls,   maters   of   regimental   officer*,    etc..   contained   In  the   appendix 
are  not  included  in  this  index. 

433 


434 


INDEX 


Brown,  John  F.,  362 

Browning,  Hon.  O.  H.,  308-311, 
313 

Brumbaugh,  J.  D.,  200 

Buchanan,  James,  President,  16,  17 

Buffalo  hunt,  see  Game  and  hunt- 
ing in  Kansas 

Buford,  — ,  16 

Burlingame,  Ward,  247 

Burnes,  Jim,  16 

Burnett,  J.  C.,  6 

Burns,  Col.,  and  his  command,  145 

Burr,  Hon.  C.  C.,  of  New  Jersey, 
190,  192 

Bums,  J.  T.,  6,  207 

Butterfield,  Miss,  241 

Cabell,  General   (ConfedJ,  95,  96, 

99,  100,  135,  164 
Cameron,  Captain,  74 
Camp  Beecher  (Wichita),  322 
Camp  Douglas,  Chicago,  190,  191 
Campbell,  Major,  71 
Canby,  General,  43 
Cane  Hill,  battle  of,  68 
Carlton,  Gen.,  270 
Carney,    Governor,    142-145,    201, 

337 

Carpenter,  Col.,  295,  296 
Carthage,  cavalry  fight  at,  65 
Case,  Miss,  241 
Catherwood,  Colonel,  99 
Chariot,  Major  C.  S.,  142 
Chase,  Geo.,  241 
Chase,     Miss     Isabel     M.      (Mrs. 

Samuel  J.  Crawford),  239 
Cherokee  Neutral  Lands,  307,  312 
Chesebrough,    Ellsworth,    200,    201 
Chitwood,  Major,  208 
Chivington,  Major,  43 
Cholera  at  Fort  Harker,  260 
Churchill,   General,   121,   122,   124, 

129,  130,  133 

Clarke,  Sidney,  200,  309,  312 
Clay,  Clement  C.,  187 
Clayton,  General,  108 
Cloud,  Colonel  (or  Major)  W.  F., 

22,  38-40,  62,  69,  74,  78,  80,  87- 

94,  96,  99,  102,   142,  143,   157, 

174,  201,  207,  224,  246 


Cobb,  Nelson,  201 

Coffey,  Colonel   (Confed.),  92,  94 

Coleman,  Captain,  67,  77 

Colton,  Col.,  and  his  command,  20, 
145 

Conkey,  Captain,  66,  77 

Connor,  James,  281 

Cook,  Lieut.,  332 

Cooke,  General,  232 

Cooper,  General  (ConfedJ,  55,  57, 
58,  95-99,  135,  198 

Cooper,  Sergeant,  57,  58 

Cordley,  E.,  244 

Cosgrove,  Lieut.,  58 

Cove  Creek,  see  Boonsboro  and 
Cove  Creek,  engagement  at 

Cox,  John  T.,  200 

Crawford,  Hon.  Samuel  J.,  arrived 
in  Kansas,  1;  practised  law  in 
Garnett,  2;  elected  to  first  State 
Legislature,  6;  experiences  on 
hunting  party,  9-14;  Chairman 
of  Com.  on  Counties  and  County 
Lines,  and  on  Military  Com.,  20; 
as  officer  in  war,  20  et  seq.  •  as 
Governor,  138,  200,  203,  237,  238, 
339;  Message  of,  205;  Marriage 
of,  239-242;  Thanksgiving  Proc- 
lamation of,  282;  calls  for  State 
troops  against  Indians,  297;  re- 
signs Governorship,  321;  settle- 
ment of  State  and  Indian  claims 
by,  353  et  seq. 

Crocker,  A.,  6 

Cross  Hollows,  engagement  at,  55 

Cross,  Lieut.  Samuel  K.,  21,  51 

Cummings,  J.  F.,  and  Mrs.,  241 

Curtis,  Gen.  S.  E.,  and  his  com- 
mand, 54,  74,  138,  141-155,  165, 
168,  172,  173,  175-179 

Custard,  Serg.  A.  J.,  266 

Custer,  General,  325,  326,  329,  331- 
334 

Davis,  Jefferson,  186-189 
Davis,  Gen.  Jeff.  C.,  39 
Dawson,  Hon.  John  S.,  285 
Dean,  Eev.  Henry  Clay,  of  Iowa, 

190,  192 
Deitzler,  General,  and  the  Fourth 


INDEX 


435 


Deitzler,  General — Continued 

Brigade,  28,  30,  143,  144,  148, 

150 
Democratic    National    Convention, 

Chicago,  1864,  186-193,  195,  196 
Dennison,  Ex-Gov.,  of  Ohio,  194 
"  Desert,   Great  American,"  230, 

231 

Dimon,  Charles,  208 
Dockery,  General,  113,  122,  123 
Dodge,  General  C.  M.,  223 
Dodge's  battery,  150 
Donavan,  Jack,  295 
Doniphan,  Col.,  16 
Douglas,  Stephen  A.,  18 
Drake,  Colonel,  118 
DuBois's  battery,  31,  35 
Dug  Springs,  battle  of,  27-30 
Dutton,  W.  P.,  6 
Dyer,  Colonel,  362 
Dynamite   used   in    farming,   372- 

374 

Earhart,  D.,  244 

Ege,  A.  G.,  201 

Eighteenth  Iowa  Infantry,  54,  116 

Eighteenth  Kansas  Cavalry,  260, 
261,  281 

Eighth  Missouri,  80 

Eighty-third  U.  S.  Colored  In- 
fantry, 102-108,  120,  121,  126, 
128,  131,  137,  138 

Elder,  H.  P.  P.,  21 

Eldridge,  S.  W.,  22 

Eleventh  Kansas  Cavalry,  150,  152, 
223,  266,  267 

Eleventh  Kansas  Infantry,  54,  69, 
75,  80 

Elliott,  Major,  260,  261,  325 

Elmore,  Mrs.,  and  Miss,  241 

Emery,  J.  S.,  243 

Emmert,  D.  B.,  19 

Emmert,  J.  S.,  281 

Emporia  Normal  School,  245 

Estelle,  Judge,  of  Omaha,  quoted, 
375 

Ewing,  Colonel,  69 

Ewing,  General,  139,  165,  180 

Fagan,    General    (Confed.),    118, 


139,  141,  147,  155,  157,  159,  161- 
165,  169-171,  174,  178-180,  198 

Fifteenth  Kansas  Cavalry,  150, 
152,  223,  224 

Fifth  Missouri  Volunteers,  28 

Fiftieth  Indiana  Regiment,  120, 
121,  130 

First  Arkansas  Infantry,  96 

First  Brigade,  see  Sturgis's  First 
Brigade 

First  Colorado  battery,  150 

First  Iowa  Infantry,  25,  28,  31,  32, 
80 

First  Kansas  battery,  54 

First  Kansas  Infantry,  28,  31 

First  Missouri  Volunteers,  28,  31, 
32 

First  U.  S.  Infantry  (Plummer's), 
28,  31 

Fisk,  General,  140 

Fisk,  Major,  and  his  command,  45, 
68,  69,  91 

Fitzgerald,  Miss,  241 

Fletcher,  John,  240,  241 

Fletcher's,  Colonel,  infantry  regi- 
ment, 180 

Forman,  J.  W.,  6 

Forsyth,  25 

Forsyth,  Colonel  J.  W.,  289 

Forsythe,  Col.  George  A.,  293-296 

Fort  Larned,  threatened  by  Indi- 
ans, 48-51 

Fort  Scott,  157,  163 

Fort  Smith,  101,  134 

Forty-third  Illinois  Regiment,  123 

Foster,  R.  C.,  6 

Fourteenth  Kansas  Cavalry,  97, 
104,  116 

Fourteenth  Missouri  Cavalry,  77 

Fourth  Brigade,  see  Deitzler 's 
Fourth  Brigade 

Fourth  Iowa  Cavalry,  25,  174,  175 

Fremont,  John  C.,  29,  38 

Frost,  General,  80 

Fuller  &  McDonald,  314 

Gale,  E.,  244 

Game  and  hunting  in  Kansas,  8- 

14 
Gano,  General,  96,  98,  198 


436 


INDEX 


Gardner,  Captain,  59,  60,  66,  67, 

73,  74 

Garnett,  Kansas,  2 
Gause,  Colonel,  122,  123 
Gilmore,  J.  R.,  of  New  York,  188, 

189 

Gilpatrick,  Major,  105 
Glover,  Geo.  W.,  254 
Gonzales,  William  E.,  372 
Goodnow,  I.  T.,  200 
Graham,  Eobt.,  6 
Granger,  Gordon,  35 
Grant,  General  TL  S.,  176,  217,  249 
Gravely,  Colonel,  140,  141 
Gray,  — ,  281 
Great  Bend,  51 
Greeley,  Horace,  quoted,  3 
Green,  Captain,  156,  158,  161,  162, 

164 

Green,  Gen.  (Confed.),  37,  38 
Green,  N.,  254 
Greene's  brigade,  121 
Greenwood,  Col.,  256 
Greer,  John  P.,  5 
Gregg,  Col.  H.  H.,  370 
Grenfell,  Colonel,  188,  191 
Griffith,  W.  E.,  6 
Griswold,  H.,  201 
Grover,  Captain,  and  his  command, 

150,  152 

Hagan,    Col.,    and    his    command, 

145 

Hairgrove,  Asa,  201 
Hamilton,  Captain,  325 
Hancock,    Major    General    W.    S., 

232,  250-252,  261,  264,  278-280, 

340 

Hanway,  Jas.,  6 
Harlan,  Hon.  Jas.,  308-311,  313 
Harney,  Gen.  W.  S.,  265,  277 
Hart,  — ,  scout,  328. 
Harvey,  Jas.  M.,  207 
Haskell,  John  G.,  208,  246 
Hawthorn,  General,  122,  123 
Hayes,  Colonel,  119 
Hazen,  General,  317,  318,  328-330 
Henderson,  Senator  J.  B.,  265 
Herron,  General,  54,  74,  75,  77-87, 

90,  91,  95 


Hindman,  General  (Confed.),  54, 
72-87,  90 

Hiner,  Sergeant  J.  P.,  13, 158,  159, 
174 

Hippie,  Samuel,  6 

Hoffman,  General,  232 

Hoffman,  S.  E.,  6 

Holcombe,  James  P.,  187 

Holliday,  C.  K,  243 

Holman,  Judge,  238-242 

Holmes,  General    (ConfedJ,  95 

Honey  Springs,  engagement  at,  95 

Hopkins,  Captain,  and  his  com- 
pany (Hopkins 's  battery),  59, 
61,  62,  70,  80,  81 

Hopkins,  Major,  156,  158,  161,  162, 
164 

Houston,  S.  D.,  6,  244 

Howe,  Colonel,  46 

Howe,  Julia  Ward,  196 

Hoyt,  Geo.  H.,  289,  306 

Hubbard,  E.  M.,  6 

Humphrey,  Jas.,  249 

Hunting,  see  Game  and  hunting 
in  Kansas 

Huntress,  O.,  254 

Hutchinson,  Kansas,  10 

Hutchinson,  W.,  6 

Her,  Col.,   and  Ms   command,  145 

Immigration  Society,  226 

Indian   claims,  settlement  of,  360 

et  seq. 

Indian  land  frauds,  299  et  seq. 
Indian    troubles    in    Kansas,    204, 

208,  223,  224,  231,  232,  250-281, 

287-298,  316-336,  340,  341 
Ingalls,  Anna  Louisa  Chesebrough, 

211-214 
Ingalls,  John  J.,  5,  19,  201,  214, 

349 
Inman,  Win.  M.,  200 

Jackman's,   Colonel,  brigade,   155, 

166,  167 

Jaques,  Col.  James  F.,  188,  189 
Jenkins,  Major,  323 
Jenkins's    Ferry,    battle    of,    119- 

135 
Jenness,  Captain,  260,  261 


INDEX 


437 


Jewell,  Colonel,  71,  72 

Johnson,    Andrew,   195,    234,   235, 

291,  308 

Johnson,  Fielding,  and  Mrs.,  241 
Johnson,  Lieut.,  51,  58,  333 
Joy,   James  F.,  309-311,  313,  314 
Judson,  Colonel,  77,  78 
Julian,  George  W.,  307,  312 

Kansas,  laws  of  Territory,  2,  3, 
16;  legislature  of  Territory,  5; 
Constitution  of  State,  6,  15,  17; 
struggle  of  Free-State  and  Pro- 
slavery  factions  in,  6,  7,  15-17; 
drought  of  1860  in,  7,  8,  17; 
boundaries  of  Territory,  7;  ad- 
mission to  Union,  18,  19;  State 
government  inaugurated,  19 ; 
State  University,  23,  243;  under 
martial  law,  143,  144;  volunteers 
furnished  by,  204,  205,  208-210; 
reorganization  of  Militia,  207, 
225;  literature  distributed  con- 
cerning, 215,  227;  immigration 
into,  227,  228,  338;  Agricultural 
College  of,  243 

Kansas  and  Neosho  Valley  Bail- 
road,  233 

Kansas  Pacific  Railroad,  230,  247, 
249,  284,  356-358 

Kellam,  C.  C.,  240;  and  Mrs.  Kel- 
lam,  241 

Kelley,  Harrison,  207,   208,  246 

Kennedy,  Dr.,  and  his  sister,  241 

Kestler,  John,  268 

Kingman,  S.  A.,  5,  201,  248 

Lakin,  Mr.,  241 

Lamb,  Josiah,  5 

Lane,  James  H.,  16,  19,  39,  144, 
148,  149,  207,  235,  236 

Langhorne,  Captain,  and  his  com- 
mand, 167 

Lawrence,  Col.,  240;  and  Mrs. 
Lawrence,  241 

Lawrence,  Judge,  307 

Leavenworth,  J.  H.,  267,  272 

Lee,  A.  L.,  201 

Lee,  Lieut.,  58 

Lee,  Rev.,  239 

Leland,  Cyrus,  208,  247 


Lesueur's,   Captain,   battery,   127, 

128 

Lexington,  Mo.,  39 
Liggett,  J.  D.,  243 
Lillie,  G.  H.,  6 
Lincoln,   Abraham,    18,    182,    186, 

190,  191,  195-197,  210-214,  219- 

221 

Lindsay,  John  G.,  21 
Lines,  C.  B.,  243 
Little  Blue,  battle  of  the,  146 
lavermore,  Mary  A.,  196 
Livingston,  Tom,  bushwhacker,  65 
Lockhart,    Lieut.    John    O.    ( Con- 
fed.  )r    capture    and    report    of, 

125-128 

Lockwood,  R.  R.,  200 
Log  Town,  skirmish  at,  89 
Lowe,  D.  P.,  249 
Lykins    County,    change    of   name 

of,  20 

Lynde,  Major  Isaac,  41 
Lyon,  General,  and  his  command, 

25-33,  36,  37 

Maclean,  Lieut.-Col.  L.  A.,  170 

MacVicar,  Peter,  201,  301,  303, 
306 

Malone,  Frank,  269 

Manning,  Lieut.,  63-66 

Marcy,  General,  137,  138,  270 

Marmaduke,  Colonel,  of  Missouri, 
188,  191 

Marmaduke,  General  (Confed.),  54, 
68-73,  78,  82-86,  108,  130,  135, 
139,  141,  142,  147,  155-165,  168, 
170,  171,  174,  179,  180,  191,  198 

Martin,  Dr.  and  Mrs.,  241 

Martin,  John  A.,  6,  207 

Massey,  A.  B.,  22 

Mathews,  Captain,  73 

May,  Caleb,  5 

McAfee,  J.  B.,  246 

McBratney,  Robert,  200 

McCahon,  James,  249,  284 

McClellan,  Gen.  George,  192,  193, 
195-197 

McClelland,  C.  B.,  6 

McClure,  Capt.,  38 

McClure,  J.  R.,  201 


438 


INDEX 


McCracken,  Nelson,  200,  201 

McCulloch,  Gen.  (Confed.),  26-29, 
31-33,  36 

McCulloch,  W.,  6 

McCune,  A.  D.,  6 

McDonald,  Col.  Emmet  (Confed.), 
62,  63,  75-77,  86 

McDowell,  Wm.  C.,  6 

McParland,  N.  C.,  359 

McGrew,  James,  200 

Mclntoah,  Colonel,  and  his  com- 
mand, 97 

McKean,  Wm.  B.,  314 

McKever,  Brig.  Gen.  Chauncy,  258 

MeLain's  battery,  150,  151 

McManus,  John,  314 

McNeil,  General,  and  his  command, 
140,  164-168,  172,  173,  175,  176, 
178 

Meade's,  J.  B.,  ranch  on  White 
Water  Eiver,  9 

Medary,  Samuel,  Governor  of  Ter- 
ritory, 5 

Medicine  Lodge  Council,  264,  265, 
274,  287,  288 

Miami  (Lykins,)  County,  20 

Middleton,  J.  A.,  5 

Miles,  Colonel,  362 

Miller,  Judge,  of  Lawrence,  Kan- 
sas, 241 

Miller,  ,,'udge,  of  Ohio,  191,  192 

Mine  Creek,  battle  of,  157 

Missouri  and  Kansas  Territory,  2, 
3,  15,  16 

Missouri,  Kansas,  Texas  Railroad, 
233,  356 

Mitchell,  D.  P.,  243 

Mitchell,  Col.  (or  Gen.)  E.  B.,  20, 
22,  32,  40,  45 

Mobley,  E.  D.,  291 

Montgomery,  Colonel,  and  his  com- 
mand, 145 

Montgomery,  Miss,  241 

Moonlight,  Col.,  201 

Moore,  Captain,  51 

Moore,  Dr.,  293,  294 

Moore,  E.,  6 

Moore,  Jerry  H.,  371 

Moore,  Lieut.  Horace  L.,  59-61,  64- 
66,  73,  330-335 


Moore,  Major,  260-262 

Morgan,  Mrs.,  Indian  captive,  327, 

334 

Mtorton,  A.  E.,  21 
Morton,  Captain,  66,  67 
Moscow,  skirmish  at,  113 
Mulligan,  Col.,  38,  39 
Munro,  Mrs.,  241 
Murdock,  Col.,  and  his  command, 

145 
Mnirphy,  Sergeant  Patrick,  100 

National  Union  Convention,  Balti- 
more, 1864,  194 

Navajo  Indians,  pursuit  of,  47 

Naylor,  J.  C.,  370 

Neal,  Henry,  22 

Newson,  Mr.,  241 

Newtonia,  battle  of,  54,  177 

Nichols,  Colonel,  and  his  command, 
155,  167 

Nineteenth  Kansas  Cavalry,  325, 
326,  328,  331,  332,  334,  335 

Ninth  Kansas  Cavalry,  54,  67,  77 

Ninth  Wisconsin  Infantry,  54,  123 

Nye,  Wm.,  254 

Old  Fort  Wayne,  battle  of,  56 
Oliver's,    Dick,    ranch    on    Lee 'a 

Creek,  91 
Osage  Indians,  13,  204,  271,  280, 

281,  299-303,  305,  307,  309 
Osage  Trust  and  Diminished  Be- 

serve  Lands,  299 
Osterhaus's,    Major,   battalion   of 

Missouri  Volunteers,  31 
Otis,  Misses,  241 

Paddock,  G.  W.,  243 

Palmer,  L.  B.,  6 

Parks,  P.  S.,  6 

Parrott,  Marcus  J.,  16,  19 

Parsons,  General,  80,  121-124,  129, 

130 

Pattee,  E.  L.,  22 
Payne,  Albert,  51 
Pea  Eidge,  battle  of,  54 
Pendleton,  George  H.,  of  Ohio,  193, 

197 
Perkins,-— ,281 


INDEX 


439 


Perry,  John  D.,  255 

Perry,  Wm.,  6 

Phelps,  Colonel  John  E.,  156 

Phillips,    Colonel,    140,    141,    159- 

162,  164,  173,  174,  176 
Phillips,  W.  A.,  16 
Pierce,  Major  A.  R.,  174 
Pipher,  John,  244 
Pleasonton,  General,  141,  144,  146- 

154,  159,  162,  168,  172-176,  202 
Pliley,  A.  J.,  295,  323 
Plummer,  see  First  U.  S.  Infantry 
Poison  Springs,  battle  of,  117,  124- 

127 
Pomeroy,  S.   C.,   16,   19,  20,   212, 

245,  348,  349 
Pope,  Gen.,  39 
Porter,  E.  J.,  6 
Potts,  Capt.,  298 

Prairie  d'Ane,  battle  of,  111,  114 
Prairie  Grove,  battle  of,  76 
Prentice,  Thaddeus,  200 
Presidential  election  of  1864,  185 

et  seq. 

Preston,  H.  D.,  6 
Price,  Fay,  67 
Price,  Gen.   (Confed.),  26,  27,  31, 

32,   39,    108,    109,   111,  115-118, 

123,  130,  133,  135,  139-147,  149- 

155,  157-159,  163,  164,  166-173, 
175-181,  197,  198,  201-203 

Price,  John  M.,  249,  284,  285 
Price,  Lieut.,  261 

Eabb's,  Captain,  Second  Indiana 
battery,  54,  61,  68-70,  80,  81,  94, 
96,  99,  100,  113,  116 

Railroad-building,  224,  230,  233, 
234,  247,  249,  255-258,  263,  268, 
284,  301,  302,  312,  355-359 

Rains,  Gen.   (Confed.),  27 

Rankin,  Col.  and  Mrs.,  241 

Rankin,  J.  K.,  208,  265,  276 

Raymond,  Henry  J.,  of  New  York, 
194 

Reaser,  J.  G.,  244 

Rebel  Yell,  76,  79,  113 

Remiatee,  Adjutant,  155 

Remington,  S.  R.,  240;  and  Mrs., 
241 


Republican  party  in  Kansas,  3 
Reynolds,  Matt.  G.,  362 
Reynolds,  Rev.,  239 
Rice,  General  Samuel  A.,  110,  112, 

114,  119-121,  123-125,  130,  131 
Richardson,  Colonel,  77 
Riggs,  S.  A.,  249,  284,  285 
Ritchie  (Col.  or  Gen.)  John,  6,  53, 

240;  and  Mrs.  Ritchie,  241 
Robinson,  Charles,  16,  19,  243,  337 
Robinson,  Mrs.  Charles,  16 
Root,  Dr.  J.  P.,  19,  92,  237,  240, 

265 
Roseerans,  General,  140,  145,  165, 

172,  175-177 

Ross,  Col.,  and  his  command,  145 
Ross,  Edmond  G.,  6,  208,  236-238, 

245,  265,  309,  313,  345 
Russell,    Capt.,   and  his   company, 

32,  34,  53,  59,  60,  72,  76 

Sac  and  Fox  Lands,  fraudulent 
sale  of,  314,  316 

Safford,  Jacob,  200 

Safford,  Judge  and  Mrs.,  241 

Salomon,  General,  and  his  com- 
mand, 54,  78,  81,  111,  118,  119, 
130 

Sanborn,  General,  140-142,  153-155, 
175-177,  265 

Sanders,  W.  R.,  201 

Schermerhorn,  John  F.,  364 

Schofield,  General,  54,  91 

Schofield,  Major  J.  M.,  36 

Sehreyer's,  Lieut.  Gustavus,  com- 
pany, 33,  34 

Sears,  T.  C.,  243 

Second  Arkansas  Cavalry,  155 

Second  Artillery,  28 

Second  Brigade,  see  Sigel's  Sec- 
ond Brigade 

Second  Colorado  Cavalry,  150,  152, 
156,  161 

Second  Indiana  battery,  see  Rabb  'a 
battery 

Second  Kansas  Cavalry,  39,  40,  45, 
54-63,  69-72,  75,  76,  78,  80,  87, 
88,  90,  91,  93,  96,  97,  99-103, 
116,  156,  161,  174;  Company  A, 
45,  58;  B,  59;  C,  45,  46,  58;  D, 


440 


INDEX 


Second  Kansas — Continued 

45,  59,  60;  E,  59,  60;  F,  58;  G, 
58;  H,  59;  I,  58;  K,  59. 

Second  Kansas  Colored  Infantry, 
see  Eighty-third  U.  S.  Colored 
Infantry. 

Second  Kansas  Infantry,  22,  25, 
27,  28,  31,  33-35,  37-39 

Second  Missouri  Volunteers,  28 

Second  Wisconsin,  80 

Seventeenth  Kansas  Regiment,  223 

Seventh  Cavalry,  260,  261,  325,  326, 
329,  331,  332 

Seventy-ninth  Colored  Infantry, 
116,  117 

Seymour,  Horatio,  of  New  York, 
186,  188,  189 

Shelbina,  battle  of,  37 

Shelby,  Col.  Joe  (later  General,), 
Confed.,  54,  71,  75-79,  85,  86, 
110,  135,  139,  141,  147,  150-152, 
155,  157,  163,  164,  166-171,  179- 
181,  198 

Sheldon,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  241 

Sheridan,  General,  287,  288,  290, 
293,  296,  297,  315-320,  324-330 

Shoemaker,  Miller  &  Co.,  247 

Shoemaker,  R.  M.,  255-257 

Sibley,  Major  H.  H.,  and  bis  com- 
mand, 41-45 

Sigel,  Col.,  25,  32,  36,  37 

Sigel's  Second  Brigade,  28,  30-32 

Signer,  J.  H.,  6 

Simpson,  B.  F.,  5,  346 

Sixteenth  Kansas  Cavalry,  150, 
152,  223 

Sixth  Kansas  Cavalry,  54,  71,  77, 
116 

Sixth  Missouri  Cavalry,  96,  99,  100 

Slavery  in  Kansas,  3,  6,  7,  15-17 

Slayback's  regiment,  166 

Siemens,  Colonel,  and  his  command, 
164 

Slough,  Colonel,  42 

Slough,  J.  P.,  6 

Smith,  — ,  281 

Smith,  General  A.  J.,  140, 142,  144, 
147,  176,  177,  255,  257,  259,  264 

Smith,  Jake,  241 

Smith,  General    Kirby    (Confed.), 


108,  114,  118,  130,  133,  135,  198 
Snoddy,  Colonel,  and  his  command, 

145 

Snow,  — ,  Indian  agent,  271 
Soldiers  —  real   and   political,    84, 

85 

Souders,  George  N.,  187 
Sparks,  W.  A.  J.,  359 
Sprigga,  Win.,  200,  249 
Squires,  Zack,  3 
Stand  Watie  and  his  Indians,  53, 

92-95,  135-137 
Stanley,  Capt.,  25,  27,  362 
Stanley,  Henry  M.,  278 
Starrett,  W.  A.,  243 
"  State  Row,"  Topeka,  203 
Steamboats,  capture  of,  89-91 
Steele,   Capt.   Fred.,   27;    General, 

108-119,  130,  135,  139,  145,  179 
Steele,  J.  W.,  240,  241 
Stevens,  Robt.  S.,  314 
Stiarwalt,  J.,  6 
Stillwell,  Jack,  295 
Stinson,  S.  A.,  6 
Stokes,  Ed.,  6 
Stone,  Lucy,  196 
Stotler,  Jacob,  237 
Stover,  Major  E.  S.,  288 
Stover's  howitzers,  58,  59,  62,  69, 

80,  81,  89,  90,  96 
Stowe,  Harriet  Beecher,  196 
Stringf ellow,  — ,  16 
Sturgis,  Gen.,  39 
Sturgis,  Major,  35,  36 
Sturgis 's,    Major,    First    Brigade, 

28    30 

Sully,  General,  288,  290,  296,  318 
Swallow,  J.  R.,  200,  306 
Sweeney,  Gen.,  25 

Tappan,  General  J.  C.,  122 

Tappan,  Col.  S.  F.,  265 

Taylor,   General    Dick    (Confed.), 

108,  198 

Taylor,  Hon.  N.  G.,  265,  275 
Teller,  Hon.  Henry  M.,  354,  359 
Tenney's,  Captain,  battery,  80 
Tenth  Cavalry,  261 
Tenth  Illinois,  80 
Tenth  Kansas  Infantry,  54,  80, 210 


INDEX 


441 


Terry,  Gen.  A.  H.,  265,  277 
Thacher,  8.  O.,  6,  201,  243 
Thayer,  General,  108-110,  113,  116, 

119,  130,  133,  134,  136,  138,  142 
Third  Brigade,  see  Andrews '  Third 

Brigade 

"  Third  House,"  the,  207 
Third  Indian  Eegiment,  80 
Third  Iowa  Infantry,  37 
Third  Kansas  battery,  365 
Third  Missouri  Volunteers,  28 
Third  Wisconsin   Cavalry,   54,   66, 

77,  97,  104 
Thirteenth    Kansas    Infantry,    54, 

80 

Thirty-sixth  Iowa,  118 
Thirty-third  Iowa  Eegiment,  129 
Tholen,  Wm.,  200 
Tholen's,  Capt.,  company,  32,  33 
Thompson,  —  ,  attacked  by  Indians, 

268 

Thompson,  Ed.  D.,  22 
Thompson    family,    murdered    by 

Indians,  268 

Thompson's  brigade,  166 
Torrey,  Miss,  241 
Totten  's  battery,  25,  27,  28,  31-33, 

35 

Tough,  Captain,  76 
Townsend,  P.  H.,  5 
Trudell,  Pete,  295 
Tuttle,  Miss  Helen  E.  (Mrs.  I.  H. 

Holman),  239 
Twelfth  Kansas  Infantry,  54,  119, 

136 

Twentieth  Iowa,  81 
Twenty-ninth  Iowa  Eegiment,  123, 

125 

Twenty-seventh    Wisconsin     Eegi- 
ment, 129 
Tyler's,     General     (or     Colonel), 

brigade,  155,  169 

TJpdegraff,  W.  "Vf .,  19 

Vail,  Et.  Eev.  Bishop  T.  H.,  239 


Vallandigham,  C.  L.,  of  Ohio,  186- 

189,  192 
Veale,  Colonel,  and  his  command, 

145,  241 
Vore,  Major  (Confed.),  97 

Walker,  Thaddeus  H.,  289 

Walker's  division  of  Texas  in- 
fantry, 129,  130,  135 

Ward,  Miss,  241 

Ware,  Eugene  F.,  370 

Warren,  G.  F.,  6 

Wattle's,  Colonel,  battalion  of 
Indians,  80 

Waul's  Texas  brigade,  129 

Webber's  Falls,  fight  near,  136 

Weer's,  Colonel,  brigade,  80 

Wells,  Colonel,  121 

Westport,  battle  of,  150 

Wetts,  William,  10 

Wever,  J.  L.,  243 

White,  Miss,  Indian  captive,  327, 
334 

Whittenhall,  Captain,  46,  50,  51 

Whittier,  John  G.,  238 

Wichita,  Kansas,  9,  10,  321,  322 

Wickersham,  Colonel,  77-80 

Williams,  Col.,  37,  38,  116 

Williams,  Lieut.,  270 

Williams,  E.  L.,  5 

Williams,  W.  G.,  and  John,  269 

Wilson's  Creek,  27;  battle  of,  30, 
157 

Winans,  N.  T.,  208 

Winehell,  J.  M.,  6 

Wines,  Chaplain,  92 

Wood,  S.  N.,  249 

Woodworth,  W.  L.,  244 

Wright,  John,  6 

Wright,  T.  S.,  6 

Wright,  W.  W.,  240,  247 

Wrigley,  B.,  6 

Wyandotte  State  Convention,  5 

York,  Senator  A.  M.,  348 


The      State      House      Offices      AVI11 
Clo.ed.    —/ 


Be 


Tribute  to  the  memory  of  Governor 
Samuel  J.  Crawford,  soldier  and  state 
builder,  was  paid  yesterday  in  a 
proclamation  by  Governor  George  H. 
Hodges,  eulogizing-  his  services  to  the 
state  of  Kansas  and  directing  the  clos- 
ing of  all  state  house  offices  this  after- 
noon and  that  all  state  officers  attend 
the  funeral  in  a  body.  The  state  house 
will  be  draped  in  mourning;  the  flags 
on  the  state  house  and  all  public  build- 
ings will  be  placed  at  half  mast  for 
thirty  days  in  respect  to  the  memory 
of  the  distinguished'  Kansan. 

The  funeral  services  from  the  fam- 
ily home  at  Fifth  and  Harrison  streets 
at  2:30  o'clock  this  afternoon  will  be 
in  charge  of  Lincoln  Post  No.  1, 
G.  A.  R..  and  of  the  Scottish  Rite 
Masons.  The  Masons  will  conduct  the 
ritual  service  at  the  home.  The  G.  A. 
R.  ritual  service  will  be  given  by  the 
members  of  Lincoln  Post  and  taps 
sounded  at  the  interment  in  Topeka 
cemetery. 

The  active  pall  bearers  will  be  Judge 
A.  W.  Dana,  W.  A.  S.  Bird,  Charles  H. 
Sessions,  J.  F.  Jarrell,  A.  A.  Rogers 
and  Dr.  C.  B.  Reed.  The  honorary  pall 
bearers  are  Thomas  Ryan.  P.  I.  Bone- 
brake,  A.  \V.  Knowles,  \V.  A.  L.  Thomp- 
son, Senator  Charles  Curtis,  Col.  J.  N. 
Harrison,  Col.  George  \V.  Veale,  John 
R.  Mulvane,  Col.  H.  L.  Moore  of  Law- 
rence and  B.  F.  Fleniken. 

H.  L.  Rhoades,  reader  of  the  First 
Christian  Science  church  of  Topeka, 
will  officiate,  and  Irene  Homer  will 
sing. 

The  governor's  proclamation  follows: 
GOVERNOR'S  PROCLAMATION. 

Executive    Department, 
Topeka,   Kan.,   October   22,    1913. 
In   the   death    of   Samuel    J.   Crawford, 
the    third    governor    of    this    state,    the 
last    of    the    great    war    governors,    has 

ed   away. 

N'i    man    has    had    a    more    prominent 

part    in    the    formative    period    of    our 

y.       Born     In     Indiana,     April    10, 

he    came    to    Kansas    in    1859    and 

I     the    practice    of    law.       He 

1    member  of   the  first  state  legis- 

uml    resigned    his    seat    to    go    to 

the    front    as    a    cantain    of    the    Second 

Kansas    Volunteer    infantry.      His   mili~- 

••va.s     an     honorable     or/ 

and    resulted    in    his    being   appointer"/ 

brigadier    general   by    brevet    for    n./ 


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